Sphenoid Sinusitis

As we all know, there are four major pairs of paranasal sinuses. And infection to the sphenoid sinus pair (located in upper part of nose, behind the ethmoid bone) is called sphenoid sinusitis. It is less common as compared to other types of sinusitis. Hence, it is often considered as a neglected condition. Nevertheless, the symptoms and complications are no less than other sinus infections. Hence, timely diagnosis and proper treatment are essential for managing sphenoid sinus infection symptoms.

Causes

Infection of the sphenoid sinus may be acute, sub-acute and chronic, depending on the length of the disease condition. Infection lasting for less than 1 month is acute, sub-acute infection lasts for 1-3 months and chronic infection is present for more than 3 months. The predominant organisms that cause acute sphenoid sinusitis are Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae among other gram positive strains. Whereas both gram negative and gram positive bacteria are responsible for chronic sphenoid sinusitis. Also, fungal and viral infections contribute to long-term infection, especially amongst people who have a weakened immune system.

Symptoms

As per medical data, sphenoid sinusitis accounts to about 3 percent of the total sinus infection cases. In such a case, only the sphenoid sinuses may be involved or there are also chances of infection in other paranasal sinuses. Similar to any sinusitis bouts, common inflammatory responses are manifested in sphenoid sinus infection. The most notable sign of this medical problem is a dull and nagging pain in the occipital area. Mild sinus pain is often present at the crown of head, and at the back side of nose and eyes.

The worst part with sphenoid sinus infection is that the nondescript headache remains for an extended time. Some patients even report sharp progressive pain in the upper head portion. Other symptoms are earaches, cough, blurry vision and neck pain. Intensity of sinus headache is exacerbated with changing position, bending and while performing physical activities. In nearly all people with this sinusitis, fever and runny nose are absent, which are prevalent in a typical sinus condition. Thus, patients face difficulty in self diagnosis of this medical problem.

Diagnosis and Treatment

Diagnosis of sphenoid sinusitis is very difficult mainly because of the deep location of sphenoid sinus. People having this sinus problem seek medical advice only when the symptoms worsen or complications arouse. This is also the reason why the incidence of chronic sphenoid sinusitis is more than that of acute sphenoid sinus infection. In order to identify this medical condition, the doctor will examine the physical signs and conduct CT (computed tomography) scan of the paranasal sinuses. After confirmation, appropriate sinus infection treatment is suggested for the patient.

The first therapeutic approach for sphenoid sinusitis treatment is proceeded with medications. Antibiotics for sinus infection are recommended. The patient should complete the full course. Quitting the medicine in between or not taking the full course increases the risk of recurrent sinusitis. Along with oral antibacterial medicine, antihistamines and pain relievers may also be prescribed for alleviating the allergy and pain symptoms. For unresponsive cases, surgery is recommended as the last resort for treatment.

No doubt, treating sphenoid sinusitis is not so easy as the sinus cavities are located deeply. But, impressive results are expected with timely addressing of the problem. In order to prevent recurring sinus infections, self-care instructions and precautionary measures should be followed by the patient. Avoiding exposure to triggering factors, like environmental pollutants and household allergenic factors will surely help in minimizing the risk of sphenoid sinus infections.