Allergic sinusitis is an inflammatory disease of the maxillary sinuses, which has an allergic etiology. Its characteristic signs are hyperemia, swelling of the mucous membranes of the nose and copious mucous-watery discharge from the nose. The disease develops after the penetration of allergens into the body. Often there is a bilateral allergic sinusitis. It should be noted that this is a seasonal disease. Exacerbation occurs in spring or autumn.
Features of an allergic reaction
Allergic sinusitis is one of the manifestations of hay fever or body reactions to substances that enter the body with air. These allergens include:
- pet hair;
- construction and household dust;
- the smallest particles of hair, skin, dandruff;
- mold components;
- pollen of plants (hay fever);
- sprayed substances: perfumes, air fresheners, household chemicals, deodorants; volatile substances (essential oils, certain types of drugs).
When these substances are inhaled, their particles settle on the mucous membranes of the mouth, paranasal sinuses, conjunctiva of the eye and cause severe allergic reactions.
Symptoms of Allergic Sinusitis in Adults
Most often, this disease develops against a background of allergic rhinitis. A person predisposed to it experiences severe headaches, itchy nose, nasal congestion, sneezing. Often patients complain of a feeling of pressure in the cheeks, nose bridge, maxillary sinuses.
It must be said that the clinical signs of allergic sinusitis do not occur separately. They are always combined with the components of rhinitis, laryngitis, conjunctivitis, and other forms of sinusitis. This can be explained quite simply: with a current of air, allergens cannot penetrate, for example, only into the maxillary sinuses. In the acute period of the disease, additional symptoms may occur:
- unpleasant, and sometimes painful sensations in the region of the maxillary sinuses;
- pain in the jaws and orbits;
- severe, almost ongoing headaches;
- cough, which intensifies at night;
- a significant increase in body temperature with the development of purulent infection.
Diagnosis of an allergic reaction
Even knowing the symptoms of allergic sinusitis, treatment is prescribed only after identifying the allergen and establishing an accurate diagnosis. Despite the fact that most patients know what causes them a negative reaction, in some cases it may be difficult to determine the main allergen. In this case, hormonal panels come to the aid of an allergist, which is a special set of the most common allergens. They are checked on the patient and their reaction is monitored.
Treatment of adult patients
According to the basic principles, the treatment regimen for allergic sinusitis in adults is practically no different from other forms of allergy. Symptoms of the disease are quite bright, which facilitates the choice of treatment methods and therapeutic agents.
First of all, it is necessary to exclude contact with the allergen. But often this seemingly simple recommendation is practically impossible to fulfill. For example, with an allergy to poplar fluff, a patient living in the city has the only way out - moving out of town for this period.
In case of respiratory allergies, the best option for removing harmful substances can be steam inhalation, rinsing the nose, instilling eyes and rinsing the throat with saline. Taking a large amount of liquid will help dilute the allergen that has accumulated in the mucous membranes.
We talked about the fact that allergic sinusitis is a respiratory type of allergy, however, in this case, proper nutrition is necessary. Eating powerful allergen products (citrus fruits, chocolate, seafood, etc.) can trigger another form of allergy - food.
Antihistamines
Allergy therapy involves the use of antihistamines. Today they are produced in various forms: capsules and tablets, local ointments and gels, sprays and creams, as well as eye drops. Adult patients today are most often prescribed IV generation drugs:
- Fexofenadine.
- "Loratadine."
- Xizal.
- Suprastinex.
To facilitate nasal breathing, as well as reduce discharge from the nasal passages, vasoconstrictive sprays and drops will help. Spray based on sea water perfectly cleanses the nasal passages. More often than others:
- "Aqua Master."
- "Aquamaris".
In especially severe cases of an allergic reaction, the doctor may prescribe hormonal drugs: glucocorticosteroids, which suppress certain immunity mechanisms and reduce allergy manifestations. Excellent results are demonstrated by the Avamis preparation.
You should not take such drugs in the presence of purulent complications - for example, purulent conjunctivitis or sinusitis. Usually, with allergic sinusitis, antibiotic therapy is not used as the main treatment, since the reaction is not caused by viruses and pathogenic microorganisms. However, with the occurrence of purulent complications, it is unlikely that antibiotics can be dispensed with.
During the period of remission, allergists use the method of immunotherapy. Its essence is the introduction of small doses of allergen into the patient's body. With each introduction, the dose of the substance is increased. The patient’s body adapts over time to the allergen and does not produce such strong reactions.
Folk remedies
In addition to traditional methods of treating allergic sinusitis, folk remedies are used. However, before using them, you should consult your doctor.
- Make flagella from cotton wool. Soak them in a mixture of propolis tincture and sterilized sunflower oil. Insert them into both nostrils for 30 minutes. This procedure is carried out up to four times a day.
- Chop the medium-sized onion and wrap in gauze. The resulting gauze bag alternately apply to the nasal passages at the bottom for a minute, actively inhaling. The procedure is carried out twice a day for 10 minutes.
- Place three drops of Kalanchoe juice in each nostril. It will cause intense sneezing and cleansing of the sinuses.
Features of the manifestation of pathology in children
This disease is much less common in children than in adults. It must be treated before it triggers the growth of adenoids. It is important for parents to know the childhood symptoms of allergic sinusitis. The treatment of this pathology largely depends on its manifestations, and young children are far from always able to formulate their feelings.
As a rule, the main signs of this disease in children are:
- congestion;
- discharge from the nose;
- fatigue and irritability;
- runny nose, not passing in a week.
Often this disease in children is confused with the common cold. In order to start treatment in a timely manner and prevent complications, it is important to recognize the first symptoms of the disease and identify the causes that caused it.
Symptoms of the disease in children
The manifestation of an allergic reaction of this type in children can be accompanied by several symptoms:
- Headache. It is localized most often in the temples and forehead. Usually pain is more pronounced on the side of the face where the affected sinus is located. The pain intensifies with sneezing, coughing, and a sharp tilt of the head. Lying the child practically does not feel it. The pain can be constant, periodically increasing.
- Toothache. Significantly enhanced by chewing food. More often, chewing teeth react to any changes in the sinuses.
- Nasal congestion. It occurs due to pus that accumulates in the sinuses, which is very difficult to remove in the traditional way. Often with allergic sinusitis, the baby complains that he can breathe only one nostril.
- Heat. This indicates the onset of sinus inflammation due to accumulation of pus in the sinuses. In addition, high temperature is associated with the body's struggle with the disease.
- Nausea. It occurs due to the accumulation in the sinuses of a secret that interferes with normal speech. When you click on the inner corner of the eye or the middle of the cheek, the child experiences acute pain.
- Chills. More often this symptom manifests itself after an increase in temperature. However, there are known cases of its “causeless” appearance.
- Sore throat, sore and dry. Such symptoms appear when allergic sinusitis becomes chronic.
- Smell reduction. With clogged sinuses, the child cannot perceive odors normally.
Treatment
Naturally, all parents are interested in how to treat allergic sinusitis in children. Since this disease is caused not by the activity of bacteria or viruses, but by edema caused by an allergic reaction, after the elimination of the allergen and the antihistamine therapy prescribed by the doctor, the disease recedes.
As a rule, children are prescribed the following drugs:
- "Erius." The drug is prescribed in the form of a syrup. Recommended for children from year to 2.5 ml per day, from 6 to 12 years - 5 ml per day. "Erius" in the form of tablets is prescribed from 12 years.
- Xizal. The basis of this drug is levocetrizine. It is prescribed to children older than 7 years of 5 mg once a day.
What is the danger of this disease?
In addition to obvious discomfort and a decrease in the quality of life during an exacerbation of the disease, allergic sinusitis can cause a number of complications:
- Strengthening an allergic reaction or general sensitization (sensitivity) of an organism to one or more allergens.
- A long-lasting and untreated allergy can provoke the development of its more severe forms: an attack of bronchial asthma, swelling of the respiratory tract.
- As you know, full-blooded, inflamed and edematous mucosa is an ideal environment for the development of pathogenic bacteria. Therefore, allergic sinusitis can cause secondary purulent complications - purulent sinusitis or conjunctivitis.
Preventative measures
For allergy sufferers, safety precautions are extremely important. Having established an allergen that causes such a reaction of the body, you should protect yourself as much as possible from getting it on the mucous membranes. Often it is necessary to take radical measures - to give relatives or friends a beloved cat, throw out carpets and downy feather-beds.
If for various reasons it is impossible to get rid of the allergen (poplar fluff, flowering plants in the city, household dust during repairs), then antihistamines should be taken for preventive purposes during this period. In addition, at the risk of developing allergies, you should regularly rinse the mucous membranes with saline solutions, ventilate and moisten the air in the room.