Having the sniffles? Is your nose constantly clogged? Your common cold can lead to an infection of the nasal passages and sinus cavity. This condition is also called sinusitis. Sinusitis can also be caused by allergies, fungus, or environmental factors.

What Happens During a Nasal Infection?

When bacteria are trapped inside the nose, the sinus passages are blocked and obstructed. This gives way for bacteria to multiply and invade the sinus cavity, thus, starting a nasal infection. Patients suffer from headache, congestion, facial pain and pressure, cough, green nasal discharge and fever. Sinusitis can be acute or chronic. Chronic sinusitis patients have prolonged symptoms lasting more than 3 months with feelings of fatigue or tiredness.

How Can a Nasal Infection be Diagnosed?

A doctor will be able to know if your sinuses are infected. He will ask you questions regarding symptoms, duration and carefully gather all information regarding your condition. He or she may order for an X-ray examination or ask you to have a test sample of your nasal discharge. In some cases, CT scans can be helpful too.

Can a Nasal Infection Develop into a More Serious Illness?

It is possible for sinusitis to affect other areas of the body. Some conditions related to this are earache, hives, and nasal polyps. Sinus nasal polyps can grow inside the nose and block proper breathing. In cases where the nasal polyps are very large in size, surgery is a likely option. Extreme cases link sinusitis to meningitis. It is best to consult your doctor right away if symptoms suggest this.

How Can Sinusitis be Prevented?

Anyone can suffer from sinusitis. Children are not exempt either. Since sinusitis starts with a cold or an allergy attack, there is no sure-fire way to avoid it. But fear not, because there are strong preventive measures to lessen the chances of getting the common cold. It begins with proper hygiene and frequent washing of hands. Try to avoid crowded places when your immune system is down. Drink lots of liquids to flush away impurities and to cleanse the immune system. If you are already suffering from sinusitis, try natural healing methods like steam inhaling and eating raw herbs to fight infection.

What Medications Can the Doctor Prescribe for Sinusitis?

If natural methods fail to relieve your sinus problems, your doctor can give you a prescription for oral antibiotics for a bacterial infection. He will also allow you to purchase pain relievers and decongestants if needed. Oral antibiotics are taken for a standard period of time, usually 7 days.

What Happens When Oral Medications Fail?

Oral antibiotics may fail to eradicate sinus infection since there are only a limited number of blood vessels running through the sinus cavity. These blood vessels are the usual path of the oral antibiotic medication. When the oral medication has a hard time travelling the road to the sinus cavity, there will also be difficulty in curing the infection as well.

Are There Other Methods to Treat Sinusitis?

There is a new method called nebulizer therapy. It is advanced in treating acute and chronic sinusitis and other nasal infections. A micro-pump nebulizer pumps aerosolized medication (antibiotics, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory) and is inhaled as mist. Chronic sufferers found cure and relief in nebulizer therapy. Ask your doctor about new ways to treat nasal infections to manage your nasal infection better.