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Sinusitis - Symptoms, Treatment and Home Remedies
Sinusitis, known as sinusitis frontalis, is a form of sinusitis. The paired paranasal sinuses include maxillary sinuses, sphenoid sinuses, frontal sinuses, and ethmoid cells. The term sinusitis is often equated in colloquial language with sinusitis, which properly translated is actually called sinusitis.
contents
- Anatomy and physiology of the paranasal sinuses
- Acute or chronic inflammation of the frontal sinuses
- Symptoms of frontal sinusitis
- Sinusitis in children
- Causes of inflamed frontal sinuses
- diagnosis
- Conventional therapy
- Home remedy for sinusitis
- Naturopathy in sinusitis
Anatomy and physiology of the paranasal sinuses
The four paranasal sinuses close to the nasal cavity. They represent cavities lined with mucous membrane. These have slime-forming cells and cilia. The finest hairs move rhythmically on the wet mucous membrane. Thus, the inhaled air is constantly moistened and cleaned of foreign matter. When pathogens, such as viruses or bacteria, hit the mucous membrane, it is supplied with more blood and the vessels expand to facilitate the defense cells' way to the infection site. Due to the inflammation, the glands produce more mucus, which is initially thin, but later can become increasingly tough.
The frontal sinus belongs to the paranasal sinuses. It is divided into two sections by a thin partition. (Image: Peter Hermes Furian / fotolia.com) Acute or chronic inflammation of the frontal sinuses
An acute sinus infection is usually preceded by an acute cold, in which the ducts of the frontal sinuses are narrowed by viscous secretions and swollen nasal mucosa.
Chronic sinusitis usually develops from the acute form, especially if it is not completely healed. Favoring factors for this are allergies in the neck and nose area, anatomical features, such as a crooked nasal septum or a weakened immune system. If sinusitis spreads to all paranasal sinuses, it is referred to as pansinusitis.
Symptoms of frontal sinusitis
In a cold, the mucous membrane swells in the nose, caused by viruses or bacteria. Due to the inflammatory stimulus, the goblet cells produce more mucus. As long as the secretion, which is formed here is still fluid, this can drain to some extent. However, if this becomes viscous, the drainage is impeded, the pathogens multiply more and then migrate up into the frontal sinuses.
Headache or forehead pains in frontal sinusitis, which can be very massive, especially when stooping, add to the general symptoms of cold. Sometimes a constant feeling of pressure is felt in the head. The disease is often accompanied by cheek pain and upper jaw pain, with chewing often causing significant discomfort. Fever can occur as well as a poor general condition, dizziness and hearing impairment. In some cases even taste and smell suffer.
Chronic forms are usually fever-free. However, sufferers suffer from constantly clogged nose and pressure in the head area.
An inflammation of the frontal sinus causes me a strong headache. (Image: puhhha / fotolia.com) Sinusitis in children
The paranasal sinuses are not fully developed in infants. Present at birth are the maxillary sinuses and ethmoidal cells. The sphenoid sinuses and frontal sinuses develop during childhood.
Inflammation of the frontal sinuses usually occurs only from the age of eight. Symptoms include runny nose, sore throat, pressure and pain in the eyes and temples. This is often accompanied by an irritating cough, triggered by the constant mucus, which is located along the pharyngeal wall. The pain is intensified by coughing, blowing and stooping. Maybe there is a fever.
Causes of inflamed frontal sinuses
Normally, all nasal sinuses should be well ventilated. In inflammation of the frontal sinus, this is not the case. The swelling of the mucous membranes may hinder the secretion of secretions, with a normal cold usually over after a few days.
If the inflammation does not stop, the pathogens multiply, which in this case are mostly bacteria. The pathogens continue to migrate into the frontal sinuses and can also cause an infection there. So here is a protracted, not cured cold the cause of sinusitis.
Other possible causes of sinusitis frontalis are allergies, a crooked nasal septum, lymphatic proliferation (such as polyps) or even recurrent inflammation in the periodontium.
diagnosis
A cold that has been around for a long time, viscous secretions, headaches and facial pains lead to the suspicion of sinusitis. When tapping the forehead area, most sufferers react with a headache, as well as stooping causes a feeling of pressure in the head.
All this points to a sinusits frontalis. A smear that removes some secretions from the nose with the aid of a cotton swab helps to find out in the laboratory which bacteria are the culprits. After that, the choice of antibiotic depends.
If the treatment does not produce the desired result, rhinoscopy is usually initiated. This is a nasal reflection, in which a flexible tube with a light source and a camera is inserted into the nose and thereby the diseased mucous membranes can be closely examined. With the help of a rhinoscopy constrictions, but also tumors can be detected.
To look more closely at the paranasal sinuses, a CT (computed tomography) is needed. This is an X-ray examination that takes shots of the affected area. If the cause is an allergy, an allergy test, for example the prick test, is performed to identify the triggering allergen.
To cure a sinusitis of the frontalis properly, physical protection is very important. (Image: Impact Photography / fotolia.com) Conventional therapy
As a general rule, the patient should take care - as with a cold. Keeping warm and avoiding cold are equally important. Even if the symptoms have already subsided and the affected person feels good, you should pay attention to suitable clothing such as a hat, headband and thick socks.
To bring the nasal mucosa to decongestant, suitable nose drops are prescribed. If bacteria are the cause of sinusitis, an antibiotic is the drug of choice. In addition, help so-called mucolytics, which are drugs that liquefy the mucus. Daily inhalation is recommended to patients. Sufferers are encouraged to consume enough liquid to prevent the mucus from settling.
In rare cases, surgery for recurrent or chronic inflammation is necessary. For example, if a massive curvature of the nasal septum or large nasal polyps (benign mucosal proliferation) are present.
Home remedy for sinusitis
Those affected are recommended healthy, vitamin-rich diets and hydration in the form of still water or tea. Enzymes are accelerators in the most diverse metabolic processes in the body. They have an anti-viral and antibacterial properties. Pineapple, mango and papaya contain a large amount of these metabolic accelerators. The beneficial effect of the enzymes is known and thus they are administered in the treatment of a frontal sinusitis in tablet form. Daily inhalation with sea salt supports every therapy. Likewise, nasal drops based on sea salt are used.
Very helpful may be a pad with horseradish. To do this, rub a fresh horseradish root and then paint the mass about one centimeter thick in the middle of a cotton towel (e.g., tea towel). Now, the sides of the cloth are hammered, creating a flat compress. They lay on your forehead for five minutes.
A proven home remedy for headache in sinusitis is peppermint essential oil, which is gently massaged into the painful areas. However, this should never be applied directly to the skin in pure form as it may otherwise cause massive skin irritation. For babies and infants under the age of three years, the oil must not be used at all because of possible serious damage to health (laryngeal spasm, respiratory distress). To avoid skin irritation, it is advisable to dilute about 10 drops of the oil with two tablespoons of carrier oil (for example almond, jojoba or olive oil). Then the oil mixture is applied to the forehead and temples and can relieve the pain within a few minutes.
A steam bath with chamomile has an anti-inflammatory effect and helps to remove stuck mucus from the congested sinuses. Put a handful of chamomile flowers in a bowl and pour about three liters of boiling water over them. Now hold your head over the bowl, cover yourself and the bowl with a large towel and breathe in the steam for about ten minutes.
Naturopathy in sinusitis
With uncomplicated illnesses a naturopathic treatment speaks usually quite well. But even with more severe sinus infections alternative treatment methods can be used concomitantly with conventional medicine soothing and thus shorten the course of the disease.
Homeopathy recommends remedies such as Cinnabaris (red cinnabar), when viscous mucus is present, Hydrastis (Canadian turmeric) in frontal headache and thick green secretions, loofah (pumpkin sponge), when the nasal mucosa is dry, but also in glandular flu. A chronic inflammation is treated in homeopathy with the individually selected constitutional remedy.
Schüssler salts which are recommended in this disease are No. 1 Calcium fluoratum D12, No. 3 Ferrum phosphoricum D12, No. 4 potassium chloratum D6, No. 6 potassium sulfuricum D6 and No. 11 Silicea.
An ancient method, quite unknown but helpful, is nasal reflex therapy. In the process, certain reflex points of the nasal mucosa are massaged with a cotton bud dipped in nose reflex oil. However, this is a treatment that should only be used in patients who are not sensitive or even allergic to the ingredients of the oil.
The herbal medicine recommends among inflamed frontal sinuses, among other nasturtium. The mustard oils contained therein act like a natural antibiotic. (Image: Otto Durst / fotolia.com) Phytotherapy (herbal medicine) holds many remedies that are helpful in inflamed frontal sinuses. Examples include primrose and ivy, which liquefy the viscous secretions. Furthermore, nasturtium and horseradish, both of which have an antibiotic effect, are also considered to have a positive effect on sinusitis.
Neural therapy is a form of therapy that is frequently used, especially in chronic forms. Here, subcutaneous (under the skin) injections with a local anesthetic and / or a naturopathic preparation in acupoints or nerve exit sites in the paranasal sinuses are administered.
In case of recurrent inflammation of the paranasal sinuses treat many naturopaths with the self-blood therapy. The blood taken from the body and subsequently reinjitiated increases the defense and causes a vegetative change.
In chronic or recurrent sinusitis the root cause must be investigated. Often the cause lies in a disturbed intestinal flora, which can be rebalanced with the aid of a microbiological therapy (build intestinal flora).
The foot reflexology therapy involves the whole organism in the treatment. So here is not symptomatic, but causally worked. Especially in chronic processes, this is a helpful naturopathic treatment. (sw, updated on 26.10.2017)
Specialist supervision: Barbara Schindewolf-Lensch (doctor)