WebMD was one of the first places I went in the early months of my health problems. I literally scoured the site. You may notice, as I did, that there is little said about chronic sinusitis, which is what I had been diagnosed with by the time my daughter was born in early 2008. The reason? Doctors and scientists are still trying to understand it. Here is what WebMD provides as the definition of a sinus infection:
Sinus infection, or sinusitis, is an inflammation of the sinuses and nasal passages. A sinus infection can cause a headache or pressure in the eyes, nose, cheek area, or on one side of the head. A person with a sinus infection may also have a cough, a fever, bad breath, and nasal congestion with thick nasal secretions. Sinusitis is categorized as acute (sudden onset) or chronic (long term, the most common type).
Anatomy of the sinuses (also called paranasal sinuses): The human skull contains 4 major pairs of hollow air-filled sacks called sinuses. These connect the space between the nostrils and the nasal passage. Sinuses help insulate the skull, reduce its weight, and allow the voice to resonate within it.
- Frontal sinuses (in the forehead)
- Maxillary sinuses (behind the cheek bones)
- Ethmoid sinuses (between the eyes)
- Sphenoid sinuses (behind the eyes)
The sinuses contain defenses against foreign bacteria (germs). If a disruption occurs that affects the normal host defenses inside the sinuses, those defenses may allow bacteria, which are normally present in the nasal passages, to enter any of the sinuses. Once there, the bacteria may stick to the lining cells and cause a sinus infection.
Acute sinusitis usually lasts less than 8 weeks or occurs no more than 3 times per year with each episode lasting no longer than 10 days. Medications are usually effective against acute sinusitis. Successful treatment counteracts damage done to the mucous lining of the sinuses and surrounding bone of the skull.
Chronic sinusitis lasts longer than 8 weeks or occurs more than 4 times per year with symptoms usually lasting more than 20 days.
