Sinus congestion

Battling daily sinus congestion is baptism by fire. Crores worldwide and approximately 4 crore persons in the US of A are afllicted with it. Sinuses are air packets in the cranial bones especially near the nose, which when infected lead to Sinusitis and result in congestion in the respiratory tract and when it becomes chronic it often leads to migraine. Symptoms can be nasal congestion, facila pain, headache, blurred vision, running nose, vertigo, diminished sense of smell and others. Chronic sinusitis is a complicated spectrum of diseases that share chronic inflammation of the sinuses in common. The causes are multifold and may be precipitated by allergy, environmental factors such as dust or pollution, bacterial infection, or fungus (either allergic, infective, or reactive). Non allergic factors such as vasomotor rhinitis can also cause chronic sinus problems. Another factor can be the abnormally narrow sinus passages, which can impede drainage from the sinus cavities.
Antibiotics or antihistamines in viral congestions can be a cure-all in acute sinusitis and warm moist air, nasal spray drops alleviate it.
Few diagnostic tests may be a study of a mucous culture, endoscopy, x-rays, allergy testing, or CT scan of the sinuses. An endoscope is a special fiber optic instrument for the examination of the interior of a canal or hollow viscus. In nasal endoscopy, it allows a visual examination of the nose and sinus drainage areas. It can reveal pus or polyps that trigger sinusitis. Smoking aggravates it.Ergo, it cannot be condoned especially in this case.

Mucus is developed by the body to act as a lubricant. In the sinus cavities, the lubricant is moved across mucous membrane linings toward the opening of each sinus by millions of cilia (a mobile extension of a cell). Inflammation from allergy causes membrane swelling and the sinus opening to narrow, thereby blocking mucus movement. If antibiotics are not effective, sinus surgery can correct the problem. The basic endoscopic surgical procedure is performed under local or general anesthesia. The final return to normal health can take about four weeks.

The surgery should enlarge the natural opening to the sinuses, leaving as many cilia in place as possible. Otolaryngologist--head and neck surgeons have found endoscopic surgery to be highly effective in restoring normal function to the sinuses. The procedure removes areas of obstruction, resulting in the normal flow of mucus.

Though a rarity, neglecting chroic sinsusitis can be fatal and lead to meningitis or brain abscess and infection of the bone or bone marrow can occur.