Sphenoid Sinusitis
Sphenoid
sinusitis is an inflammation of one of the smaller sinuses, which are called
sphenoid sinuses and are located between the larger sinuses. There are two
types of sphenoid sinusitis, acute sphenoid sinusitis and chronic sphenoid
sinusitis. Chronic sphenoid sinusitis is more common than acute sphenoid
sinusitis. Most often, sphenoid sinusitis does not have many signs and symptoms
or they may be subtle, which makes it difficult to diagnose. However, sphenoid
sinusitis can have some serious complications and the condition does tend to
worsen rapidly, so it is crucial to get it diagnosed early and treated before
it worsens. Sphenoid sinusitis can have serious complications because the
sphenoid sinus is so closely related to the essential vascular, neurologic, and
optic systems of the body. Sphenoid sinusitis is an inflammation of the
sphenoid sinus and it is likely caused by some sort of sinus infection. A sinus
infection can be bacterial, viral, or fungal, and a doctor should be able to
determine this in order to provide proper treatment. While in most cases of
sphenoid sinusitis, the symptoms are subtle, they include headaches, pain in
the surrounding areas, and fever. If sphenoid sinusitis is not treated and
worsens there are serious complications such as meningitis, seizures, decreased
mental status, and nerve palsy, all of which are serious conditions. Sphenoid
sinusitis can also be caused by a polyps or retention cyst within or near the
sphenoid sinus. Treatment for sphenoid sinusitis will first consist of
decongestants and oral antibiotics; if this does not help the condition then
the doctor might prescribe amoxicillin or nasal glucocorticoids. If the
conditions seem to not improve and the doctor feels there might be some future
complications, then he or she might suggest surgery. This would mean that a
surgeon would open up the sphenoid sinus, drain it, and take some material to
run a culture. This is not very common however, because most people that are
diagnosed with sphenoid sinusitis can simply cure it with decongestants and
medications.
Because sphenoid
sinusitis is commonly caused by a sinus infection, the sinus infection should
be treated. A sinus infection could be caused by breathing in different types
of particles that can be harmful. A doctor will likely diagnose a sinus
infection by swelling of the area, swelling and redness of the nasal passages,
and tenderness, as well as other symptoms that may help differentiates between
the different types of sinus infection. A sinus infection will be treated
depending on the cause of the infection. If the cause of the sinus infection is
viral then the doctor will recommend pain relievers and fever medication. If
the cause is bacterial, the doctor will first recommend simple over the counter
medications to relieve the symptoms, if this does not work and the sinus
infection continues for more than a week or two, the doctor will likely
prescribe antibiotics. For a sinus infection people are also recommended to try
a nasal wash that could simply be made of salt water.
