Is it Possible to Guard Yourself Against the Sinus Infection?
Odor DetectFor many people, having a sinus infection usually proves to be an annoying affair. This infection also known as , is a health condition that involves the inflammation of a person's nasal pathways. It brings with it severe headaches, fever, spontaneous coughing, nasal congestion, viscous nasal secretions, pressure inside the patient's eyes and sometimes around the cheek area.
It is believed that microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi and viruses are responsible for the sinus infection health problem. Usually, a person is said to have defense mechanisms that guard him against these microorganisms. These defenses include, mucus layers that cover the sinuses and nasal cells containing little hairs referred to as cilia which help to trap or at times propel these microorganisms outward. When these mechanisms are disrupted either through environmental pollution or through other factors such as dust, bacteria that may be present in your nasal pathways get a chance to enter the sinuses.Once in,these microorganisms stick to the nasal cells and in the process cause this terrible infection.
Like many other types of infections, sinus infections have different categories. These categories are Acute sinusitis and Chronic sinusitis.
Acute sinusitis is most of the times caused by viruses and bacteria that are found in the upper side of the respiratory tract and at times substances that bring allergies or even environmental pollutants. A viral infection harms the cells that form the lining of the sinuses by damaging them and in the process inflaming them. This action makes the lining to swell up and become thicker than required which leads to the obstruction of the nasal air passages. With this obstruction in place, infectious microorganisms such as bacteria cannot be removed from the nasal air passages. In return, the bacteria get a chance to multiply and make the person have a sinus infection by invading and inflaming the cells that form the lining of the nasal pathways.
This type of sinus infection does not last for more than 8 weeks most of the times and for each period that you are subjected to this infection, it may take around 10 days for the sinus infection to disappear. With a proper cause of treatment from your doctor, the mucous lining and the surrounding skull bone that protect the sinuses can easily be restored.
On the other hand, Chronic sinusitis is said to involve a spectrum of infections that cause the inflammation of your sinuses. Infections that are bacterial, viral and even fungal may be responsible for this condition. The bacteria and viruses that cause this infection do it the same way as in Acute sinusitis but a fungal infection usually takes place differently.
Fungi may be situated in the human nasal cavities and also in sinuses. Some of these fungi are known to cause possible inflammation of the nasal pathways of patients. On rare occasions, chronic sinusitis can make you not to smell or be in a position to detect any type of odor. The condition may take more than 8 weeks for it to clear and each time it attacks, it may take a period of about 20 days for its symptoms to disappear. People who have diseases that make the human immune system weak including AIDS are usually the ones that are prone to this kind of sinus infection. A proper diagnosis from the doctor is the best help to get the right kind of treatment.
Wangeci Kinyanjui is an expert on research and reporting on Health Matters for years.To get more information on sinus infection visit her site at SINUS INFECTION