What Are the Three Leading Causes of Sinusitis?

There are two main types of sinusitis but they both have different causes:

Acute Sinusitis. This is typically a temporary situation regarding the causes that are associated with acute sinusitis. The symptoms should not run for more than 30 days. There are 3 leading causes of acute sinusitis that can be uncomfortable and painful at times.

繚 Virus. This is usually the case when the cilia become paralyzed or in an intense viral case, the cilia is inactive and cannot push through the mucus on its own. This will cause the virus to lay dormant in the sinus area.

繚 Bacteria. When the sinus cavities become overwhelmed with mucus that gets stuck in other passageways, it becomes infected. As the mucus sits in one place it becomes stagnant and the body has a hard time getting rid of this problem without the use of an antibiotic. The body tries to get rid of garbage before it is introduced into the lungs; this is usually done by blowing our nose or clearing our throats. Excessive blowing can lead to a swollen lining inside the nose and then nothing will be able to pass through it.

繚 Fungus. This micro organism can be transferred on food or may be airborne. The origins of these spores come from foods or molds that are present in the air. Just like anything, too much of something is not a good thing. Ingesting enough can cause your immune system to weaken, leaving you unable to fight off the infection. Then your sinuses become enlarged and make you more prone to get sinusitis.

These only explain the three major causes of acute sinusitis; there are many more minute factors that can cause sinusitis: frequent blowing of the nose (pressure), scuba diving (if you already have a cold this will open up the sinuses more and possibly cause infection), foreign objects ( yes the joys of children putting things in their noses, and not just a finger), medications ( some medications have some strange side affects but also they may slow the production of mucus), and in very rare instances, a rotten tooth could cause a bad infection in the sinus cavity.

Chronic Sinusitis

Symptoms of chronic sinusitis are generally not painful, just very annoying. Conditions associated with chronic sinusitis tend to last longer than acute sinusitis and have a greater chance of recurring. If there are slight changes in the natural flow of mucus it will probably turn into a sinus infection. The symptoms of chronic sinusitis are caused from environmental hazards. The 3 major causes of chronic sinusitis are:

繚 Allergies. A big portion of allergies are caused by the environment and this can lead to chronic sinusitis. These can be reduced if you go to a specialist and get allergy shots. On the other hand, some are caused by food, feathers and even certain fabrics.

繚 Asthma. Some people are born with asthma and the others have asthma like symptoms that are related to their allergies. Medications are an option to relieve such conditions.

繚 Temperature and Humidity. Indoor and outdoor conditions play different roles in how bad your allergies are. The environment is always changing and so is the temperature and humidity. This can change how your allergies act and with the changes your sinuses can become irritated and swollen making your symptoms recur.

Narrowing sinuses, defective mucous membranes, dehydration, poor air quality, weak immune system, stress and, on rare occasions, polyps and tumors may be other smaller causes for some of your sinusitis problems. On rare occasion surgery may be your only option to relieve some of these more serious conditions.