Sinusitis - Cause
Sinusitis is most often the result of a viral infection that causes the mucous membrane lining the inside of the nose and the sinuses to become inflamed.
- The mucous membrane swells when it becomes inflamed, blocking the drainage of fluid from the sinuses into the nose and throat.
- Mucus and fluid build up inside the sinuses, causing pressure and pain.
- Bacteria are more likely to grow in sinuses that are unable to drain properly. Bacterial infection in the sinuses often causes more inflammation and pain.
Colds usually trigger this process, but any factor that causes the mucous membrane to become inflamed may lead to sinusitis. Many people with nasal allergies (allergic rhinitis), for instance, are likely to have recurring or long-term (chronic) sinus infections. Nasal polyps, foreign objects (usually in children), structural problems in the nose such as a deviated septum, and other conditions can also block the nasal passages, increasing the risk of sinusitis.
Autumn has arrived, and you don’t feel so good. You can’t stop sneezing and sniffling. The return of cool weather leaves you feeling not invigorated but miserable. What’s going on? You may be suffering from pollen allergy, a.k.a. allergic rhinitis or hay fever. Thirty million Americans do, and symptoms typically flare in fall. Like all allergies, hay fever stems from a glitch in the immune system. Instead of attacking harmful foreign substances such as bacteria and viruses, it tries to neutralize...
Read the Fall Allergies and Sinusitis article > >
Fungal infections may also cause sinusitis. This is especially true in people with impaired immune systems. Fungal sinusitis tends to be chronic and harder to treat than bacterial sinusitis.
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise
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