Taking Care of a Sinus Infection

For a lot of people, there is nothing worse then getting a sinus infection, as the pain is something that can ruin and control your entire day or week if it is not taken care of promptly. Some people are much more prone to developing a sinus infection than others and get them all the time and then there are those people who get an infection once and then never again. Too bad not everyone could be as lucky as the latter group, but then again, there would be a lot of pharmaceutical companies out of business!

Someone suffering from a sinus infection may experience a headache or pressure in or behind the eyes, cheek area, in their nasal passage, or on one particular side of their head. Also, something not often mentioned, is that someone who is suffering from a sinus infection may also experience bad breath, a fever, a cough, and nasal secretions that are pretty thick. While you do not have to be experiencing all of the typical symptoms to have a sinus infection, there are some people who get hit with it all.

How It Happens

To understand exactly how a sinus infection is formed, you must first understand that the human skull has four pairs of cavities, which are filled with nothing but air and these areas are called the sinuses. The purpose for the hollow space is that these spaces allow your skull to be insulated and for your voice to resonate properly. The four main areas are the maxillary sinuses, which are behind the cheekbones, the frontal sinuses, which are in the forehead, the sphenoid sinuses, which is the area behind the eyes, and the ethmoid sinuses are between the eyes.

There are typically defenses in the sinuses that prevent any germs getting in but once in a while, something happens that allows the bacteria to enter into one or more of the sinuses. Once the bacterium has made its way into the sinuses, it makes its home in the lining cells and causes the sinus infection that we have all grown to love to hate. Typically, there are medications, which can be given to the sufferer if the infection is bad enough and it clears things up within a matter of days. Well, that is at least for the time being as most people who get a sinus infection will more in likely receive another one before you know it.