A bacterial sinus infection is an infection that occurs when there is an inflammation of the paranasal sinuses by bacteria. Paranasal sinuses are four pairs of cavities or spaces that are found within the head skull and are situated around the nose area. The infection is basically characterized by severe headache, nasal congestion, continuous discharge of thick yellow or green pus-like substance from the nose, blurred vision and possibly, aching teeth. Occasionally, this health condition may lead to a situation whereby the patient is neither able to detect any type of odor nor is he able to smell anything.
Common bacteria believed to be the causes of bacterial sinus infection include Moraxella catarrhalis, Haemophilus influenzae, Staphylococcus aureus and the Haemophilus influenzae bacteria. They bring this infection by colonizing the damaged surface tissues inside the nose while causing them not to function properly. These tissues are then forced to swell hence making it difficult for the patient to breathe. The infection could worsen when air gets to be trapped within an obstructed sinus. Severe pain may be produced as a result of this occurrence.
Once you have a bacterial sinus infection, it may take you several days, weeks, months or even years for the infection to disappear. After being diagnosed, the precise type of bacteria causing this infection would have been known and your doctor will be in a good position to prescribe a nice course of possible treatment that could help treat this infection. This could mean that you get to use decongestants so as to minimize the level of congestion in the nose, taking antibiotics in order to control the bacterial infection and lastly using some pain killers for pain relief. However, in order for you to say that you have been cured, the drainage pathways of the nose need to have been re-established and total control over the source of inflammation, needs to be yours.
When medicinal approach fails to cure this bacterial sinus infection, the doctor could prescribe oral steroids like prednisone to you. Many a times, these oral steroids have shown significant side effects in the patient and for this reason, they would only be prescribed to you when all the other medicines have failed to cure the infection. The option of surgery most of the time appears to be expensive but it is usually the best option for those who want to clear this problem completely.
In children, surgery is mainly used to remove the adenoids that appear to be blocking the nasal-sinus pathways. On the other hand, surgery in adults is mainly used to remove the polyps that may have developed and now they are tampering with the proper drainage system. Moreover, the surgery could also be used to correct the deviated septum so as to allow an open clear air pathway to be established. Most doctors prefer conducting the functional endoscopic sinus surgery to their patients because it allows natural pathways from the sinuses to be broadened even further in order to allow proper drainage. To minimize chances of getting a bacterial sinus infection, people are always advised to stay away from any types of air pollutants.
Wangeci Kinyanjui is an expert on research and reporting on Health Matters for years.To get more information on bacterial sinus infection visit her site at BACTERIAL SINUS INFECTION.