What is Sinusitis, Its symptoms & How best to treat it

What is sinusitis?You get up in the morning feeling lousy, with a heavy head a feeling which Persists through the day wanting to sleep all the time, you're coughing and sneezing and tired and achy. You think that you might be getting a cold. Later, when the medicines you've been taking to relieve the symptoms of the common cold are not working, you finally drag yourself to the doctor. After listening to your history of symptoms, examining your face and forehead, and perhaps doing a sinus X-ray, the doctor says you have sinusitis.What are sinuses?Sinuses are hollow air spaces in the human body. When people say,"I'm having a sinus attack," they usually are referring to symptoms in one or more of four pairs of cavities, or sinuses,known as paranasal sinuses. These cavities, located within the skull or bones of the head surrounding the nose, include the:Frontal sinuses over the eyes in the brow areaMaxillary sinuses inside each cheekboneEthmoid sinuses just behind the bridge of the nose and between the eyesSphenoid sinuses behind the ethmoids in the upper region of the nose and behind the eyesEach sinus has an opening into the nose for the free exchange of air and mucus, and each is joined with the nasal passages by a continuous mucous membrane lining. Therefore, anything that causes a swelling in the nose-an infection, an allergic reaction, or an immune reaction-also can affect the sinuses. Air trapped within a blocked sinus, along with pus or other secretions, may cause pressure on the sinus wall. The result is the sometimes intense pain of a sinus attack. Similarly, when air is prevented from entering a paranasal sinus by a swollen membrane at the opening, a vacuum can be created that also causes pain.What are the symptoms of sinusitis?The location of your sinus pain depends on which sinus is affected.Headache when you wake up in the morning is typical of a sinus problem.Pain when your forehead over the frontal sinuses is touched may indicate that your frontal sinuses are inflammed.Heaviness in the head while bending the head.Infection in the maxillary sinuses can cause your upper jaw and teeth to ache and your cheeks to become tender to the touch.Since the ethmoid sinuses are near the tear ducts in the corner of the eyes, inflammation of these cavities often causes swelling of the eyelids and tissues around your eyes, and pain between your eyes. Ethmoid inflammation also can cause tenderness when the sides of your nose are touched, a loss of smell, and a stuffy nose.Although the sphenoid sinuses are less frequently affected,infection in this area can cause earaches, neck pain, and deep aching at the top of your head.Most people with sinusitis, however, have pain or tenderness in several locations, and their symptoms usually do not clearly indicate which sinuses are inflamed.Other symptoms of sinusitis can includeFeverWeaknessTirednessA cough that may be more severe at nightRunny nose or nasal congestionwhat are some causes of acute sinusitis?Most cases of acute sinusitis start with a common cold, which is caused by a virus. These viral colds do not cause symptoms of sinusitis, but they do inflame the sinuses. Both the cold and the sinus inflammation usually go away without treatment in 2 weeks.The inflammation, however, might explain why having a cold increases your likelihood of developing acute sinusitis. For example, your nose reacts to an invasion by viruses that cause infections such as the common cold or flu by producing mucus and sending white blood cells to the lining of the nose, which congest and swell the nasal passages.When this swelling involves the adjacent mucous membranes of your sinuses, air and mucus are trapped behind the narrowed openings of the sinuses. When your sinus openings become too narrow, mucus cannot drain properly. This increase in mucus sets up prime conditions for bacteria to multiply.Self-help in relieving symptoms…steam inhalation can soothe inflamed sinus cavities.Gentle heat applied over the inflamed area is comforting.