There are millions of Americans who suffer from sinusitis every year, and we spend a lot of money on drugs that promise symptom relief.

Sinusitis is a condition in which the sinuses become infected or inflamed.

The sinuses are simply hollow air spaces in the body. There are about 60 sinuses throughout the human body, but when you talk about the pain and symptoms of a “sinus attack,” you’re referring to the four pairs of sinuses known as the paranasal sinuses.

These sinuses are located in the skull that surrounds the nose. The pair of four includes:

1. The frontal sinuses are located above the eyes in the eyebrow area.
2. The maxillary sinuses are within each cheekbone.
3. The ethmoid sinuses are located behind the bridge of the nose and between the eyes.
4. The sphenoid sinuses are deeper behind the ethmoids behind the eyes.

Each sinus has an opening in the nose for the free exchange of air and mucus. To function normally and remain healthy, each sinus cavity must drain adequately and continuously, contain air, and have free air exchange with the nose.

Anything that causes swelling in the nose, whether it’s an infection or an allergy, can also affect the sinuses.
Air trapped inside a blocked sinus, along with pus, can cause pressure on the sinus wall. Also, when air is prevented from entering a sinus due to a blockage, a vacuum can be created that can be painful.

Where is your sinus pain? That depends on which breast is affected. Pain when the forehead is affected may mean that the frontal sinuses are inflamed.

If your upper jaw and teeth ache and your cheeks become tender to the touch, your maxillary sinuses may be infected.

Pain around and between the eyes may indicate that the ethmoid sinuses are inflamed. Earaches, neck pain, and pain in the top of the head may be inflammation of the sphenoid sinuses.

However, most people with sinusitis have pain in multiple places. Other symptoms of sinusitis can be fever, weakness, severe cough at night, and congestion.

Postnasal drip can irritate the throat and upper trachea. Rarely, serious complications can be seen in sinusitis, such as brain infections.

Keeping it simple, sinusitis is either acute or chronic. Acute sinusitis usually begins with a common cold in which the cold virus inflames the tissues. In general, both the cold and the inflammation of the paranasal sinuses usually disappear in a couple of weeks. Inflammation caused by a cold can cause congestion and inflammation of the nasal passages.

When the sinus openings become too narrow, they cannot drain properly. The mucus accumulates and becomes a perfect medium for bacterial growth. The upper respiratory tract contains bacteria such as Streptococcus pneumonia and Haemophilus influenza that can invade the blocked sinus and multiply, causing an acute sinus infection.

Occasionally fungal infections such as Aspergillus can also cause acute sinusitis.

Chronic sinusitis is more difficult to determine. They are often the result of allergies, pollutants, immune status, and asthma.

The diagnosis of acute sinusitis may include a physical examination, symptoms, and sometimes CT or MRI scans. If culture is required, sinus aspiration for culture is best.

You can be treated after diagnosis with decongestants, pain relievers, and antibiotics if needed.

For chronic sinusitis, steroid nasal sprays may be prescribed for long periods; however, the long-term safety of these drugs is not fully known. Things you can do at home are inhale steam and saline nasal spray to give you some comfort.

Sometimes surgery is the only way to treat chronic sinusitis. Removal of adenoids in children usually solves the problem. Often the adenoids block the sinus passages.