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If left untreated, sinusitis with stubborn nasal congestion and sticky nasal discharge can lead to poor concentration and insomnia, and can significantly impair quality of life. It is important to receive appropriate treatment while symptoms are mild. We will summarize the symptoms and treatment methods of sinusitis, the differences in symptoms from hay fever, which continues to spread in large quantities this season, and preventive methods.

The sinuses are four cavities (maxillary sinus, ethmoid sinus, frontal sinus, and sphenoid sinus) that surround the nasal cavity (inside the nose). These cavities are connected to the nasal passages, but when inflammation of the mucous membranes blocks the sinuses and nasal passages, the sinuses cannot drain, causing a runny or pus-filled nose. This condition is called sinusitis, and was formerly called empyema. It is said to be triggered by rhinitis symptoms caused by colds, pollen, house dust, etc. Acute sinusitis occurs within one month after onset, and chronic sinusitis occurs when symptoms persist for more than three months. In particular, people with asthma are prone to sinusitis called eosinophilic sinusitis with nasal polyps, so caution is required.

Acute symptoms of sinusitis include nasal congestion, runny nose with a thick smell, pain in the cheeks, around the nose, and forehead, swelling of the face and eyelids, and fever. If these symptoms do not clear up even after they subside, the inflammation may have become chronic, and you may develop chronic sinusitis accompanied by nasal polyps. Nasal polyps are soft lumps formed by substances released by inflammation of the mucous membrane of the nose, which activate cells that promote swelling of the mucous membrane. These symptoms can lead to poor concentration and insomnia, and can significantly impair quality of life. When chronic sinusitis becomes severe, symptoms other than the nose, such as pain behind the eyes, head, and molars, appear, and although rare, complications such as visual impairment, meningitis, and brain abscess have been pointed out. increase.

Hay fever has become a full-fledged epidemic season, but there is a fear that you may be late in noticing that you have sinusitis because you think it is hay fever. The difference between sinusitis and hay fever is the runny nose. The runny nose of hay fever is clear, like dry water, while the runny nose of sinusitis is sticky and may be yellowish or greenish in color.

As a treatment, it is important to reduce the bacteria in the sinus, soothe the inflammation, and drain the accumulated pus. If it becomes chronic, treatment methods include long-term oral administration of macrolide antibiotics at half the usual dose, or inhalation therapy using a device called a nebulizer. If that doesn't help, minimally invasive surgery is usually performed with an endoscope inserted through the nostrils to remove nasal polyps and diseased mucous membranes in the sinuses.

In order to prevent sinusitis, it is important to use a mask to prevent pollen and cold viruses from entering during the epidemic season of hay fever and colds. It is also effective to gargle the nose to wash away bacteria and pollen that have entered the nose. It is also important to manage your physical condition by eating a well-balanced diet and living a regular life so that you do not catch a cold as much as possible.