Chronic sinusitis occurs when the sinuses--the hollow areas adjacent to the nasal passages--can't drain mucus properly due to inflammation and swelling. Also known as chronic rhinosinusitis, the condition affects approximately 32 million Americans annually.
Causes
Allergies, nasal growths (tumors or polyps), facial injuries, respiratory infections, medical conditions like cystic fibrosis and a deviated (crooked) septum are typical causes of .
Symptoms
Common signs of chronic sinusitis include coughing; diminished taste and smell; discomfort and swelling near the nose, cheeks, eyes or forehead; dull pain near the teeth and upper jaw; and nasal blockage that makes it hard to breathe through the nose.
Treatment
Relieving chronic sinusitis usually involves drugs (such as corticosteroids, decongestants, nasal sprays and pain relievers like ibuprofen), antibiotics to combat bacterial infections, immunotherapy allergy shots or endoscopic sinus surgery to remove blockages.
Complications
Additional problems chronic sinusitis may cause include asthma attacks, blood clots in veins around the sinuses, inflammation around the spinal cord and brain (meningitis) and poor vision or blindness if the infection reaches the eyes,
Risk Factors
People with abnormal nasal passages, allergies like hay fever, asthma, immune system or medical conditions like AIDS, and frequent contact with pollutants have a greater chance of developing chronic sinusitis.
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