What Is Sinusitis?

If you have sinusitis, then you are probably experiencing a lot of discomfort. Sinusitis is a condition that causes swelling and inflammation in your nasal passages. If you allow this condition to linger, then you can experience sinus and hearing loss. Read on to find out more about this condition.

How Do Sinusitis Affect Your Sinuses?

Sinuses are simply airspaces inside of your face. Normal sinuses are filled with air. When they become blocked, your sinuses are filled with germs, bacteria and fluid. If the condition is left untreated, then it can develop into an infection like sinusitis.

Acute and Chronic Sinusitis

The two types of sinusitis are acute and chronic. Both types cause you to have sinus problems. Example symptoms of acute sinusitis include coughing, sinus headaches, runny nose, and nasal congestion. Acute sinusitis also causes hearing loss, but it does not cause you to go completely deaf. Your hearing goes back to normal after treating your sinus condition.

On the other hand, chronic sinusitis can lead to permanent hearing loss. Example symptoms include fever, pus in the nasal cavity, nasal blockage, facial congestion, bad breath, nasal discharge, dental pain and fatigue. This condition starts out as temporary hearing loss. If it is left untreated, then it can develop into an infection. Ear infections can cause you to become deaf. According to Medline Plus, acute sinusitis usually lasts up to 4 weeks and chronic sinusitis lasts up to 12 weeks.

 How is this Condition Treated?

Treating sinusitis depends on the severity of your condition. Patients with acute sinusitis are usually told to use steam inhalations and decongestants. An example of decongestants are nonprescription nasal sprays, nasal drops, and Sudafed.

Chronic sinusitis may require a variety of treatments to cure the condition. You can start with getting a vaporizer. Warm air helps with clearing sinus congestion. Other treatments may include warm compressions, saline nasal drops, decongestants, oral steroids, and antibiotics.

How does Hearing Loss Occur?

Hearing loss occurs when the infection spreads to the middle eardrum. When your sinuses become inflamed, it puts pressure on your eardrums. The pressure occurs from the discharge of fluids from the sinuses and other parts of the body. This results in fluid building up behind your eardrum and causes blockage in your Eustachian tube. This leads to hearing loss and experiencing pain in your ears.

This condition is preventable. It is important to not wait to treat sinusitis. If you wait too long, the infection can spread to your ears and create permanent damage. It is also important to not take having an ear infection lightly. You can save your hearing by scheduling an appointment with your doctor.

For more information, contact a specialist such as Cohen Angelique MD SC. 

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