Pain above your eyes (eyebrow level), under your eyes (around the cheekbone), at the base of your nose but also the top of your head could suggest sinusitis. Sinusitis otherwise known as rhinosinusitis is a condition in which the tissue lining of your sinus swells and there is inflammation.
Dr. Luca Malzezzi, Otolaryngologist, Unit of Otorhinolaryngology at Humanitas provides us with information on the symptoms, causes and treatments.
Common Symptoms
- Pain around the eyes
- Nasal congestion
- Mucus, a runny nose
- Bad sense of smell
- Reduced taste sensitivity
- Cough
- Stuffed up nose
Causes of sinusitis
Sinusitis is related and often caused by other condition. The most frequent are allergies, asthma, the common cold, and a deviated septum.
Because the causes vary, despite common belief of the contrary, it doesn’t only occur during winter. The symptoms and the pain around your face could appear throughout the year in relation to the presence of allergens and other factors. It could even occur due to a change in air pressure, during an airplane landing for example.
Preventing and treating sinusitis
Sinusitis is not really preventable, mostly due to the unpredictable causes mentioned in the section above. But with some ordinary preventative measure such as avoiding the cold after swimming, you can reduce the risks.
If you are suffering of sinusitis and depending on its severity you may consider one of the following treatment methods after consulting with your physician:
- Nasal Washes
- Steroidal Spray
- Antibiotics – During the winter and period of high risk
- Anti-inflammatory drugs
- Surgery – Surgery is available as an option, it is usual an endoscopic procedure during which the mucus could be removed, blockages opened, and in extreme cases parts of the bone be removed to enlarge the passageway.
The important thing is to look out for the symptoms, and visit a professional as soon as you suspect you may have sinusitis for advice and a treatment prescription.
