You thought you had the common cold, but the runny nose and cough just do not seem to be going away. You may be dealing with Sinusitis, a bacterial infection of the sinuses, it’s What’s Going Around Central Florida. Centra Care doctors have seen a steady increase of sinusitis cases in both children and adults over the past 4 weeks.
Many of the symptoms of sinusitis mimic the common cold. In fact, sinusitis often starts as a cold, but the common cold typically runs its course in about a week. Sinusitis, on the other hand, can last weeks or months if left untreated. It’s important to note that viral sinusitis is present with all colds, however when doctors diagnose sinusitis they are most often referring to that caused by a bacterial infection.
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Your sinuses are spaces in your skull. You have four sets of sinuses, for a total of eight. They are located in the bones behind your forehead, cheeks, nose, and eyes. The paranasal sinuses are located in the bones around your nose, eyes, and cheeks. Sinusitis occurs when one or more of these nasal passages gets inflamed and tender which doesn’t allow it to drain.
SYMPTOMS:
Sinusitis causes pressure and pain in the head and pain or tenderness of the face, which may intensify when you lean over. It can also cause nasal congestion, coughing, fever, sore throat, nasal discharge, and postnasal drip. It is also common in children, for sinusitis to be accompanied by an ear infection that is caused by the same bacteria.
Sinusitis itself is rarely contagious, but the cold symptoms that precede it can be easily spread from person to person. If your sinusitis is bacterial in nature, your doctor will likely prescribe an antibiotic to shorten its duration. Sinusitis symptoms may also be treated with over-the-counter decongestant, pain, and fever medications. It may be helpful to use a humidifier or nasal saline mist. You should drink plenty of fluids to thin the mucus.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends the following to prevent sinus infection:
- Practice good hand hygiene
- Keep you and your child up to date with recommended immunizations
- Avoid close contact with people who have colds or other upper respiratory infections
- Avoid smoking or exposure to second hand smoke and do not expose children to second hand smoke
- Use a clean humidifier to moisten the air at home
For locations and directions visit: www.CentraCare.org. We’ll update you again next week.