Chronic sinusitis can linger for weeks or even months at a time. This can sometimes lead to serious complications, including infections in the bones and tissue near to the sinuses. Very rarely this infection can spread to the brain and the fluid around the brain.
Red Flag Symptoms. Eye signs, including periorbital swelling or erythema, displaced globe, visual changes, ophthalmoplegia. Severe unilateral headache, bilateral frontal headache, or frontal swelling. Neurological signs or reduced conscious level.
Uncommonly, an infection can spread to the bones (osteomyelitis) or skin (cellulitis). Vision problems. If the infection spreads to your eye socket, it can cause reduced vision or even blindness that can be permanent.
Serious Sinus Infections
If the infection reaches the eyes you can experience redness, swelling around the eyes and reduced vision. Cavernous sinus thrombosis is a rare infection that can lead to blindness. In these cases, patients will be given IV antibiotics and be admitted to the hospital.
When there is excessive pain in your eyes, ears, head or throat, you likely have a severe sinus infection. And if you can't open your eyes or you feel dizzy, these are major warning signs that your sinusitis is at a dangerous level.
Undoubtedly with a sinus infection, there is going to be some pressure and discomfort, but if the pain gets severe, it is time to see a doctor. A sinus infection becomes very serious if there is severe pain in the eyes, throat, ears, or head. The infection can easily spread to create an eye or ear infection.
Other symptoms of chronic sinusitis include hyposmia (decreased sense of smell), headache, ear pain, halitosis (bad breath), dental pain, cough, or fatigue.
Although rare, some patients with acute sinusitis may present with complications such as orbital cellulitis, preseptal cellulitis, or cavernous sinus thrombosis.
Sinus pain and pressure can make you feel like your head is about to explode. Experiencing this pressure on a regular basis can be frustrating and even limit your daily lifestyle.
If you have been sick at least 10 days and have not improved or your symptoms worsened after beginning to feel better ("double sickening"), you likely have acute bacterial sinusitis. Symptoms such as high fever and thick, colored nasal discharge may indicate a bacterial infection.
Amoxicillin remains the drug of choice for acute, uncomplicated bacterial sinusitis. Amoxicillin is most effective when given frequently enough to sustain adequate levels in the infected tissue.
The four main symptoms of acute sinusitis include runny or stuffy nose, postnasal drip, congestion, and pain or pressure feeling in the face. Sinusitis (also called a sinus infection) is an inflammation of the sinuses and nasal cavity.
They include meningitis, epidural empyema, subdural empyema, cerebritis, brain abscess, superior sagittal and cavernous sinus thrombosis and are usually associated with frontoethmoidal or sphenoid bacterial ARS. There are two routes by which infection can spread.
Treating chronic sinusitis can be challenging. Often, it takes a combination of several methods, including nasal irrigation, decongestants, or antibiotics. Patients who do not find relief from those methods may require treatments such as endoscopic sinus surgery or balloon sinuplasty.
The Life Altering Complications of Untreated Chronic Sinus Infections. Sinusitis is a byproduct of ongoing inflammation. Chronic inflammation is dangerous. It gradually destroys healthy tissues and organs and can cause serious infections of the brain, eyes and lungs.
What happens if sinusitis is left untreated? You don't necessarily need to treat sinusitis — it often goes away on its own. Very rarely, untreated sinus infections can lead to life-threatening infections. This happens if bacteria or fungi spread to your brain, eyes or nearby bone.
It's not clear exactly what causes sinusitis to become chronic (long-lasting), but it has been associated with: allergies and related conditions, including allergic rhinitis, asthma and hay fever. nasal polyps (growths inside the nose) smoking.
Endoscopic Sinus Surgery
Sinus surgery using a nasal endoscope is the most commonly recommended procedure for people with chronic sinusitis. The surgeon uses the same type of thin endoscope used during the diagnostic exam. This procedure requires no visible incisions, is performed under general anesthesia.
Headache, lasting over 1 week, is the most common presenting symptom, but neurological signs—including altered mental status, seizures, or focal deficits—vomiting, and swelling of the forehead are also common features.
Sinusitis is inflammation of any of the four sinus cavities behind the face. Commonly referred to as a sinus infection, if left untreated this condition can lead to sepsis, a life-threatening complication.
Such cases are termed acute sinusitis. However, this is not always the case for all patients. Some cases of sinus infections are severe and critical that they demand urgent care or emergency room for a sinus infection. Such cases are termed chronic sinusitis and can last several weeks without resolving on their own.
Prednisone, in addition to antibiotics, can lead to resolution or improvement in symptoms at three to seven days.
If the condition lasts longer than ten days, or there is a worsening of symptoms after five to seven days, the sinusitis is more likely caused by bacteria than a virus.
As your body works hard to fight off the sinus infection, you'll feel more tired than usual. Fatigue can be also be caused by head pain, a lack of adequate sleep, and difficulty breathing due to sinusitis.