Sinusitis affects a large percentage of the global population every year, causing blocked noses, facial pain and a host of other symptoms. According to research, sinusitis affects approximately 30% of the population at some point. But what is sinusitis and how can you treat this condition?
What is acute sinusitis?
Every adult has four pairs of air-filled cavities called sinuses located at the front of their skull that connect directly to the nasal passages. The maxillary sinuses are located on each side of the nose, with the ethmoid sinuses found at the bridge of the nose, near the eyes. Another pair of cavities, the sphenoid sinuses, are found behind the eye, deep in the skull, with the final pair of sinuses (frontal sinuses) found above the eyes, near the forehead. Together with the nasal passages, the thin-walled sinuses produce and circulate mucus, which helps to warm and humidify inhaled air before it reaches the lungs. Sinusitis can impair this function significantly causing uncomfortable and painful symptoms. Acute sinusitis is a medical condition that develops as a result of an infection. In most cases, this infection is caused by a virus such as the common cold or the flu. This infection causes the sinuses to become inflamed and the mucus in these to thicken, causing the drainage of the sinuses to be disrupted. This causes a build-up of mucus in the sinuses, and results in these sinuses becoming blocked, causing congestion and pain. Acute sinusitis can display many symptoms, but these are the most common:
Pain or pressure around the eyes, cheeks, nose or forehead that worsens when bending over
Bad breath
Causes & treatment of sinusitis
The most common cause of sinusitis is a virus, usually the common cold or the influenza virus. According to studies, 90 – 98% of sinusitis infections are viral. Therefore, antibiotics are seldom required to treat it. Conventional treatment only addresses the symptoms but not the cause of sinusitis. Thankfully, Sinupret is a 4-in-1 treatment that effectively addresses and treats both the cause and symptoms of sinusitis. Find out more about this treatment here.
While acute sinusitis usually clears up within a few weeks, if the symptoms persist for more than three months, this could be a sign of chronic sinusitis. Sinupret also addresses and treats the symptoms of chronic sinusitis.