Sinusitis is a disorder that is characterized by an inflammation of the paranasal sinuses and is usually a widespread pathology, mainly in some months of the year in which allergies are more common. This is because suffering from an allergy favors the appearance of sinusitis, although it can also be caused by a bad cold, either viral or bacterial.
Generally, sinusitis begins as regular congestion, but when it is not appropriately treated and the symptoms are still present, making the mucus stronger, it is inevitable that you are facing an infection, causing pain in your face and head: fever, night cough and difficulty breathing normally.
This alteration that affects the respiratory system makes many wonders what happens if I have sinusitis and smoke. For this reason, at FastlyHealwe want to offer you a little information about this pathology.
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Why does sinusitis occur, and what causes it?
The structures behind the forehead, the bones of the nose, the eyes, and the cheeks are known as paranasal sinuses. When they are in a normal state, air can circulate properly through them, and mucus can be expelled. However, when these ducts become blocked by inflammation, mucus builds up, and bacteria can multiply more quickly.
There are two types of sinusitis:
- Acute sinusitis is when symptoms are present for about four weeks or less and is caused by bacteria.
- On the other hand, there is chronic sinusitis, which causes the swelling of the sinuses to be present for several months and could be caused by a fungus or bacteria.
Sinusitis can develop because sinus hairs, called cilia, fail to clear mucus properly, which may be due to infection. Another option is to have had a nasty cold or allergy with an overproduction of mucus that blocks the openings of the sinuses. There is a possibility that the sinusitis is caused by a deviated nasal septum, a nasal bone spur or nasal polyps that block these ducts.
Sinusitis symptoms
The symptoms of acute sinusitis in adults are often observed after about 5 or 7 days when a cold does not improve. These symptoms are:
- Fever
- Headaches
- Discomfort behind the eyes and teeth
- Facial sensitivity
- Fatigue
- Cough that increases at night
- Bad breath
- Loss of sense of smell
- Congestion
- Runny nose
If chronic sinusitis, the symptoms are usually very similar but a little milder and can last more than 12 weeks.
In children, sinusitis can present as a cold or respiratory illness that improves and then worsens. Also, the child is likely to have a fever and dark-colored nasal secretions for at least three days which may last more than ten days, and a cough may appear occasionally.
Treatment to eliminate sinusitis
Although sinusitis and its symptoms usually disappear after a few days or weeks, it is essential that you visit a doctor to rule out any other pathology and that he can offer you the best option for your case since if this disorder is caused by bacteria, it is The specialist will probably prescribe some antibiotics and, if it is anatomical, surgery should be done if necessary.
To help eliminate the discomfort caused by sinusitis, there are different drugs that your doctor can offer you and numerous natural options that you could easily do to clear your sinuses. In the following article, you can find the best home remedies for nasal congestion. For example, you are drinking plenty of fluids to thin mucus, applying warm, wet washcloths to your face, using a nasal saline solution several times a day, and inhaling steam 2 to 4 times daily.
Smoking with sinusitis
Likewise, several factors increase the possibility that you will develop this condition, complicate it and make it more frequent. Among them, exposure to tobacco stands out since cigarette smoke can cause more irritation and inflammation in the layer that covers the sinuses and cause the nasal passages to be blocked, in addition to increasing the production of mucus, favoring the condition to become severe or that you are susceptible to acquiring an infection. If you have the habit of smoking, you must eliminate this behavior to improve the condition and not be near even cigarette smoke because it affects passive smokers in the same way.
Some recommendations to prevent sinusitis
- Wash your hands regularly, especially if you are close to people with colds.
- Avoid being in places with polluted air.
- Do not consume alcohol.
- Eliminate the habit of smoking.
- Try breathing in moist air to ease congestion.
This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to What if I have sinusitis and I smoke? we recommend that you enter our category of Lung and respiratory tract .
I am a Surgeon with a diploma in comprehensive ultrasound and surgical care residency, an area I am specializing in. During the exercise of my profession, I have realized the need for patients to know the diseases they suffer, and I can tell you that a large part of their complications is due to a lack of information. Being a health web writer allows me to transmit my experience, without borders, to all those readers eager for knowledge, educate them in the prevention of diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.