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Sinusitis

Sinusitis results from inflammation of the lining of the paranasal sinuses.  It is normal for the sinuses  to produce fluid.  In a healthy person, that fluid then drains into the nasal tubes and throat and  is swallowed.  But when the sinuses are swollen and inflamed, the fluids can’t drain properly and start to accumulate in the sinuses.

If you’re prone to sinus infections, you know well the misery they can cause.  Sinus infections take hold when fluids can’t drain properly from the inflamed sinuses.  This trapped moisture provides fertile ground for germs to grow.

Signs of sinusitis:

  • Facial pain/pressure (in “mask” area behind eyes and cheekbones)
  • Pain sensitivity to the touch in sinuses
  • Stuffed-up nose
  • Thick, discolored nose mucus (green, yellow, grey)
  • Reduced capacity to taste/smell
  • Cough/congestion

Additional sinusitis symptoms may include:

  • Fever
  • Bad breath
  • Fatigue
  • Tooth pain

In the beginning stages of a sinus infection, you may simply feel like you have a cold.  If your cold lingers beyond a week, you may have a sinus infection.  Watch for symptoms such as face and head pain, thick colored nasal mucus, and fever.  These may indicate that you have moved beyond a cold into a sinus infection.

Managing Sinus Infections

Something as basic as saline nasal sprays or decongestants may help your sinus infection. Your doctor may also recommend medications including antibiotics or oral steroids.  If you suffer from recurring sinus infections and find yourself medicating them over and over, though, there may be an underlying allergy problem.

When the body has an allergic reaction, it releases histamine into the body that can cause swelling of the sinus cavities and ultimately lead to chronic sinus infections.  No amount of medication can stop the underlying allergy problem.  Rather, medications just treat the symptoms of the problem.

If you have repeated sinus infections that you suspect are allergy-related, contact AllergyEasy to find out about “no-shots, no hassle” allergy immunotherapy and how it can help with sinus infections.

About The Author

Stuart H. Agren, M.D.

Stuart H. Agren, M.D. completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Utah and went on to earn his Doctor of Medicine from Tulane University School of Medicine in 1974. He completed additional training at L.D.S. Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah and then established his private medical practice starting in 1975. Dr. Agren completed a mini-residency in Industrial Medicine at the Robert Johnson School of Medicine at Rutgers University and also completed training to become a certified Medical Review Officer.

Dr. Agren was the Medical Director at TRW and McDonnell Douglas in Mesa, Arizona and at Stauffer Chemical and Kennecott Copper in Salt Lake City, Utah. He also served as an adjunct faculty member at Arizona State University.

In his private medical practice, Dr. Agren specialized in family practice and allergy. In his work as a private practice allergist, he was one of the first doctors in the country to prescribe sublingual immunotherapy to his patients as an alternative to subcutaneous immunotherapy (allergy shots). He has also been a trailblazer in the field of food allergy treatment and research, developing a program to treat multiple food allergies simultaneously using sublingual immunotherapy. Dr. Agren has been featured on local CBS, NBC, and ABC news affiliates and won the peer-nominated “Top Doc” award from Phoenix Magazine.

After 20 years in private practice, Dr. Agren became the Founder and President of AllergyEasy, which helps primary care physicians around the country offer allergy testing and sublingual immunotherapy treatment to their patients. Over 200 physicians in over 32 states use the AllergyEasy program to help their patients overcome environmental and food allergies and asthma.