Anyone who has ever suffered a sinus infection can attest to its debilitating and uncomfortable symptoms. Sinusitis includes facial pain, headaches, and other frustrating nasal symptoms that can impact every aspect of your life. Although most people confuse a normal cold with a sinus infection, the latter is more overwhelming. But this doesn’t mean this condition is inevitable, as you can still overcome it with sinusitis silver spring treatments.
However, though you can overcome this hurdle with advanced treatments and follow-up sessions, many people don’t comprehend the reason behind sinusitis. This eventually leads to worsening symptoms which can further deteriorate your situation. Fortunately, let’s examine the underlying causes of sinus infection and how to avoid them.
1. Dry air, allergies, and environmental irritants
Individuals who often suffer from sinusitis have allergies and are very sensitive to their surroundings. They usually become offended by dust, pet dander, strong scents, mold, and dust mites. Although you can’t eliminate environmental irritants and airborne allergens, minimizing the amount to avoid sinus infection triggers is possible. If your sinus infection recurs, treatment options are most effective to alleviate your situation. Furthermore, you should avoid anything that triggers sinusitis and often consult with your provider.
2. Having a deviated septum
A deviated septum can occur due to birth abnormalities or injuries. Such deviations are usually visible from the outside, but most people don’t recognize this until they have breathing difficulties. Sinus infections can occur due to structural septum abnormalities and don’t easily respond to conventional remedies. However, you can undergo surgery to straighten your septum, which also goes in handy in alleviating sinusitis symptoms.
3. Viruses and bacteria
A sinus infection usually occurs because of some bacteria or virus. Because of environmental factors, these tiny structures can penetrate your sinuses and cause infections. Furthermore, sinusitis is also a contagious infection in some cases. This means you can suffer sinus infections due to bacteria that pass through hand-to-hand contact.
4. Nasal polyps
These tiny, abnormal growths develop in your sinuses or nose and can’t be noticed until they cause pain, enlargement, and bleeding. They can also interfere with your mucus drainage and airflow. Additionally, individuals with nasal polyps often experience severe headaches, frequent nosebleeds, pressure buildup, and sinusitis. While the swellings can disappear independently, consulting an expert to shrink or remove the polyps before they worsen your situation is essential.
5. Hypertrophied turbinate
Turbinates are bony shelves in your nose that help filter contaminants and air irritants you breathe. They are also structured to moisturize the air before it enters your respiratory organs. However, when they are overwhelmed with bacteria, viruses, germs, and airborne substances, they can become inflamed; thus, their functions become compromised. When your turbinates are enlarged, they can cause sinus infections and nasal congestions leading to facial pain, headaches and trouble sleeping, smelling, eating, and overall discomfort.
While sinusitis can advance with time, you shouldn’t overlook the initial symptoms as they can give birth to more severe consequences. Therefore, when you identify unusual facial pain or other sinusitis symptoms, you shouldn’t hesitate to engage your doctor. Furthermore, if you experience sinus symptoms that don’t go away with time and last longer, prioritize seeking medical help for diagnosis and treatments.