During the Covid pandemic and epidemic, every time you feel sick, you can't help but worry that it might be the dreaded coronavirus in one variant form or another. In fact, Covid-19 symptoms are similar to those of several other medical conditions of the ‘ear, nose and throat’ variety, including sinusitis. So, to relieve those doubts or anxieties, here’s how you know if your problem isn’t SARS-CoV-2 or Omicron BA.5 but a case of sinusitis.
What is sinusitis?
Before we get to know sinusitis, we need to understand the area where the condition occurs i.e., the sinuses or air cavities located within the arrangements of bones around or near the nose. The sinuses comprise four areas: 1. cavities inside the cheekbones 2. cavities at the base of the nose and the head of each eye 3. cavities in the forehead and 4. cavities under the base of the skull. Medical science still doesn’t fully understand all the functions of these cavities. All we know is that they help the head maintain balance, regulate pressure in the nasal cavity, and produce certain secretions that protect against infection.
As for sinusitis, it is basically an inflammation of endothelial tissues occurring in the aforementioned areas caused by a virus or bacteria. Acute sinusitis is where the symptoms last at least four weeks, subacute sinusitis is where the symptoms last 4-12 weeks, and chronic sinusitis is where the inflammation lasts 12 weeks or more.
The main cause of sinusitis is infection of the upper respiratory tract, upper molar teeth, and related areas. It may also be caused by a foreign body entering the nasal cavity, injuries to facial bones, exposure to sudden changes in air pressure, allergic rhinitis, crooked nasal wall, and others.
Factors that help provoke outbreaks of sinusitis include environmental factors such as breathing in dusty or smoky air, factors related to immunity, and factors related to drainage of sinus secretions.
Sinusitis symptoms
The three main symptoms that indicate that we may have sinusitis are: 1. nasal congestion 2. runny nose in the front nostril area and down the throat, or thick mucus, and 3. pain or tightness in one or more of the four sinus areas. Additional observations accompanying sinusitis include bad breath, headache, temple pain, cheek pain, and occipital pain. In severe cases, the patient can feel very sick, with high fever and noticeable swelling around the eyes.
Treatment and self-care
Sinusitis can be treated with medication and surgery. In case of sinusitis caused by infection, certain drugs may be prescribed according to the severity of the symptoms. In cases of chronic sinusitis, an antibiotic nasal spray or a combination with saline solution is used to clean the nose. If the patient doesn’t respond to treatment with medication or experiences recurrent symptoms, the next step is surgery which, based on safety and effectiveness, is usually of the laparoscopic variety.
However, even given the effectiveness of modern treatments, prevention, as always, is better than cure. The best thing is to stay out of harm’s way by maintaining good overall health, including a balanced diet with less spicy and high fat foods, less caffeinated beverages, drinking enough water, taking regular exercise, and getting enough rest. Above all, avoid conditions that cause colds and spark allergies, both of which increase sinusitis risk.
Krungthai-AXA Life Insurance customers who have symptoms and need advice, can consult an online doctor through the Krungthai-AXA Telehealth service. Simply download Emma by AXA application, select “TeleHealth”, and confirm your policy number the first time you use it. For more details, click: https://www.krungthai-axa.co.th/th/health-services/telehealth
References
· Phyathai Hospital
https://bit.ly/3PDgko7
· Bumrungrad Hospital
https://www.bumrungrad.com/th/conditions/sinusitis
· Siriraj Piyamaharajkarun Hospital
https://www.siphhospital.com/th/news/article/share/sinusitis
Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital
https://www.si.mahidol.ac.th/sidoctor/e-pl/articledetail.asp?id=446
