Uh-oh. You're sneezing, coughing, and you have a bright red
nose. You figure it's just another cold, but this one sticks
around way too long. Is it really a
cold
? Maybe not. It could be a problem with your sinuses.
What Are Sinuses?
The
sinuses
(say:
sy
-nus-is) are air-filled spaces found in the
bones
of the head and face. Sinuses start developing before you are born
and some of them keep growing until you're about 20. There are
four pairs of sinuses, or eight in all. They are located on either
side of the nose in your cheeks, behind and between the eyes, in
the forehead, and at the back of the
nasal cavity
.
Like the inside of the nose, the sinuses are lined with a moist,
thin layer of tissue called a
mucous membrane
(say:
myoo
-kus
mem
-brayne). The mucous membranes help moisten the air as you breathe
it in. The mucous membrane also makes mucus, that sticky stuff in
your nose you might call
snot
. The mucus traps dust and germs that are in the air we breathe. On
the surface of the cells of the mucous membrane are microscopic
hairs called
cilia
(say:
sih
-lee-uh).
The cilia beat back and forth in waves to clear mucus from the
sinuses through a narrow opening in the nose and then move the
mucus toward the back of the nose to be swallowed. Gross, huh? If
you have a cold or allergies, the membrane gets irritated and
swollen and produces even more mucus.
What Do Sinuses Do?
No one is completely sure why we have sinuses, but some
researchers think they keep the head from being too heavy. Sinuses
are pockets of air, and air doesn't weigh very much. If those
pockets were solid bone, your head would weigh more.
Sinuses also give you the depth or tone of your voice. Did you
ever notice how funny your voice sounds if your nose and sinuses
get stuffy when you have a cold?
When Good Sinuses Go Bad
What about that cold that won't go away? A cold virus
can:
- damage the delicate cilia so that mucus is not swept
away
- cause the mucous lining of the nose to become swollen, which
narrows and blocks the small opening from the sinuses into the
nose
- lead to the production of more mucus, which is often thicker
and stickier, making it harder to flow out of the sinuses
When the tiny openings that drain the sinuses get blocked, mucus
becomes trapped in the sinuses. Like water in a stagnant pond, it
makes a good home for bacteria, viruses, or fungi to grow.
If a cold lasts for more than 10 to 14 days (sometimes you may
have a low-grade
fever
), you may have
sinusitis
(say: syne-yuh-
sy
-tus). This means an infection of the sinuses. Sinusitis is a
pretty common infection; in fact, close to 37 million people in
the United States have sinusitis each year.
Acute Sinusitis Lasts A While
Acute sinusitis may be diagnosed when a cold lasts more than 10
to 14 days. Chronic sinusitis means a person has had symptoms for
more than 3 months. Symptoms may be similar to acute sinusitis, but
typically are less severe and not associated with fever.
In either case, symptoms may include:
- fever
- persistent nasal discharge that often is yellow or green
(this alone doesn't always mean you have a sinus
infection)
- daytime cough (your cough may be worse at night)
- puffy eyes, especially in the morning
-
bad breath
Less often, a kid could have headache or pain behind the eyes,
forehead, and cheeks.
What Will the Doctor Do?
If a
doctor
thinks you have a sinus infection, he or she will probably examine
your ears and throat and take a look in your nose. The doctor may
also check your sinuses by tapping or pressing on your forehead and
cheeks. If you have a sinus infection, the doctor may prescribe an
antibiotic. If bacteria are causing the problem, an antibiotic will
help by killing the bacteria. If it's a virus, antibiotic
medicine won't work.
In the case of a bacterial infection, the antibiotic should help
you feel better in a few days. A decongestant or nasal spray may
also be prescribed to help you feel better. If the sinus infection
is chronic, the doctor may have you take medicine for a couple of
weeks, just to be sure all the bacteria are knocked out.
Sometimes, if a sinus infection is not getting better, comes
back even after you take all your medicine, or if the doctor is
thinking about doing surgery, he or she may send you to have a
CT scan
of the sinuses. The CT scan is a special X-ray that takes a picture
of your insides. It doesn't hurt, and it makes it much easier
for the doctor to see what's going on. Your doctor can clearly
see what the sinuses look like and then decide what kind of
treatment will help you get better faster.
The good news about sinusitis is that it's not contagious,
so if you are feeling well enough, you can go to school or go
outside and play. In no time, you'll be over your infection -
and you'll be saying so long to sinusitis!
Updated and reviewed by:
Mary L. Gavin, MD
Date reviewed: March 2007
Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice,
diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.
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