A sinusitis infection usually is caused by a cold or an allergy. When a cold or allergy occurs, swelling of the sinus cavity lining happens. When bacteria enter the sinus cavities, they attack the swollen lining which then causes greater inflammation. The cilia is a part of the sinuses which usually flushes out the bacteria and mucus. When a great amount of inflammation occurs, the cilia can no longer function as it should and so the bacteria and mucus become trapped in the cavities which then causes the sinusitis infection to occur.



The symptoms of an acute sinusitis infection generally may include cough, congestion, facial pain and pressure, green nasal discharge, and postnasal drip. When the sinusitis infection becomes chronic and lasts for twelve or more weeks a person may experience additional symptoms such as loss of sense of taste and smell and fatigue may also occur. Other symptoms may also occur depending on which sinus cavity that the infection lies in.

There are several medications and other treatments that are meant to offer relief to the sinusitis infection. One of the most frequently prescribed and purchased treatments are oral medications such as antibiotics, decongestants, and anti-fungals. Oral medications work on infections and other problems by flowing through the blood stream to the infected area. In the sinus cavities there are very small amount of blood vessels. Since the oral medications use the blood stream to travel to the area where they are needed, only a small amount of the medication can be delivered to the sinusitis infection which may lead to little or no relief from the treatment. Also since these medications use the blood stream, it then is distributed through out the rest of the body also which can lead to many side effects such as stomach pain, drowsiness, amongst many others depending on which type of medication is being used.

There are also many treatments which are directly distributed into the sinus cavities. These treatments are generally meant to help moisten the cilia so that it can flush out the trapped mucus and bacteria. Nasal sprays are commonly used and can be prescribed or purchased over the counter. The nasal sprays may offer some relief to the lower part of the sinuses but often times may not help the infection since their particle sizes are too large to make it past the inflammation at the opening of the sinus cavities and up to the sinusitis infection. The same holds true for a treatment called irrigation which distributes saline up to the sinus cavities. Irrigation is also very messy and generally unsuccessful in offering relief.

A newer treatment that is used nasally is aerosolized medications. Aerosolized medications are used very much like nebulized asthma medications. These antibiotics, anti-fungals, and anti-inflammatories are broken down into a small particle size so that it can pass the inflammation and make its way up to the sinusitis infection. Generally a small amount of these medications are used which results in little to no side affects in the rest of the body.

There are many treatment options out there which are meant to offer relief for sinusitis infections. It is important to find the treatment that works best for you and to treat the infection before it becomes chronic and surgery is then left as the only option.