The sentence 'My sinuses are killing me' actually refers to symptoms of congestion in one (or more) of the four pairs of cavities we call paranasal sinuses. Pain in your sinuses or sinusitis means that your sinuses are inflamed thanks to an infection or some other problem.
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Just looking at the location of the pain we can say which sinus is in trouble.
Pain in the forehead, probably the most common case, means that frontal sinuses (above the eyes) are inflamed. If there is a pain in upper jaw and teeth, with tender cheeks, we will look into maxillary sinuses (inside your cheekbones).
Pain between the eyes, followed sometimes with swelling of the tissue around the eyes, may mean sinusitis has developed in ethmoid sinuses (behind the bridge of the nose). And if there is a pain in the neck followed by earaches and deep achiness at the top of the head, may be a sign that sphenoid sinuses (in the upper region of the nose) are involved.
The paranasal sinuses are lined with a tissue (the mucous membrane) which produces mucus that flows through openings of the paranasal sinuses into the nose. When those openings are blocked - your sinuses have a problem. So, from a common cold to an infection to any other problem that blocks the openings between your paranasal sinuses and your nose, there is a range of problems that may cause a terrible pain in your head.
But where the pain is coming from? There are two reasons: the trapped mucus put pressure on the mucous membrane and in turn bones wall behind it; and when a swollen membrane at the opening of a paranasal sinus prevents air from entering into the sinuses, it can create a vacuum that causes pain.
There are three main types of sinusitis: Acute (lasts up to one month), subacute (one to three months), chronic (from three months to several years). There is also another type, recurrent sinusitis, when a patient has several paint attacks during one year.
Now, what causes acute sinusitis? The reasons can be common cold, allergies, and other pre-existing conditions such as reduced immune function and abnormal mucus secretion.
In the case of chronic sinusitis, the membranes of the paranasal sinuses and the nose thicken because they are constantly inflamed. Conditions that carry a greater risk are asthma, allergy, recurrent acute sinusitis, and pre-existing health conditions such as an immune deficiency disorder or cystic fibrosis.
Since sinuses are located in the head, complications can be serious. Infection in the sinuses may spread to other areas in the head. If, for example, it affect the bone surrounding the eye, that will cause swelling of the eyelids, and that may lead to vision problems. So, every sinusitis must be treated seriously because they belong to "Easy to deal with, dangerous if left untreated" group of health conditions.
We have several options at our disposal to treat sinusitis. First, there is an antibiotic therapy if your doctor thinks you have bacterial sinusitis. In a case of chronic sinusitis, an intensive antibiotic therapy may be prescribed. In some cases a surgery is needed to remove physical obstructions.
You should see the doctor if sinusitis doesn't improve after two days and you have pain in the face, upper teeth or in the lower eyelid. You should also see the doctor if you have fever higher than 38.3C (101F), and of course if you have cold that lasts 10 days or more.
By the way, do not use nasal sprays for more than three days without asking your doctor what he thinks about it. A prolonged use may have very serious consequences, from spray addiction to the damage in the nose that must be treated surgically. ■