Sinus infection
Moms View Message Board: General Discussion: Sinus infection
I have googled this, but I can't seem to find a definite answer. Can you have a sinus infection with no runny/stuffy nose? I have fall allergies and have been taking Claritin to ward them off for about 2 weeks. I do this every fall to avoid problems and have been successful with it for the past 3 years. I still seem fine as far as allergies go. No cough, runny/stuffy nose etc. However, my sinus area is killing me. For about the past week, I have been having forehead headaches, on and off swollen eyes and nose pressure.
No fever or anything like that, just this eye area swelling and general pressure feeling.
Yup. My son has one right now. He was injured in a jfl football game and had to have a CAT scan to see if his jaw was broken. It wasn't but it did reveal a nasty sinus infection that we never knew he had.
I am going today to get checked for the same thing because I have a swollen eye and lots of pressure behind it. That's usually my first clue.
YES! I had one like this a few weeks ago.
To echo the others, YES! When I get a constant sinus headache that Motrin won't touch, it's usually a sinus infection.
Well, guess I will be heading to the doctor tomorrow then. I have been taking Aleve for the past couple of days and I would say it is doing nothing at all for it. I was going to go get some Tylenol sinus today, but maybe I will just wait on that. Thanks!!
Try the netti pot. I swear by them. I always get sinus infection and this clears them up FAST. Good luck.
good luck at the drs, I hate sinus infections!
Ditto on going to the doctor. I think I've had a sinus infection or two, that was uncomfortable, but didn't have that much drainage. You could be too swollen and inflamed for it to drain.
I have never had a sinus infection with runny nose, but I have sinus infections all the time. So just another yes vote here.
Brooke, I really want to get a netti pot. I've heard really good things about them, and since I don't get runny I think it would really do me a world of good, esp when I don't have the infection yet. You no, just for occasional cleaning to keep it all clear.
My son has a netti pot. Even though he had surgery this summer for his nose, tonsils and adnoids, he still becomes very congested with the slightest temp changes.
The netti pot cleans him right out. It's remarkable the change it makes in his breathing.
YES! And it's miserable. Jen swears by the netti pot; I once had a doctor who promoted *postural drainage*.
I normally have all the other nasty (and not so nasty) signs of a sinus infection when I get them, which used to be quite frequently - at least 2 or 3 times a year.
However I've had them where the main symptoms I had were excruciating pain and pressure in and around my eyes and a headache, and also had a couple of sinus infections that mimicked a tootheache.
A sinus infection, by definition is:
"Sinus infection, or sinusitis, is an inflammation of the sinuses and nasal passages. A sinus infection can cause a headache or pressure in the eyes, nose, cheek area, or on one side of the head. A person with a sinus infection may also have a cough, a fever, bad breath, and nasal congestion with thick nasal secretions. Sinusitis is categorized as acute (sudden onset) or chronic (long term, the most common type).
Anatomy of the sinuses (also called paranasal sinuses): The human skull contains four major pairs of hollow air-filled-cavities called sinuses. These are connected to the space between the nostrils and the nasal passage. Sinuses help insulate the skull, reduce its weight, and allow the voice to resonate within it. The four major pairs of sinuses are the:
Frontal sinuses (in the forehead)
Maxillary sinuses (behind the cheek bones)
Ethmoid sinuses (between the eyes)
Sphenoid sinuses (behind the eyes)
The sinuses contain defenses against foreign viruses and bacteria (germs). If the normal defenses are disrupted, they may allow bacteria normally present in the nasal passages to enter any of the sinuses. Once there, the bacteria may stick to the lining cells and cause a sinus infection.
Acute sinusitis usually lasts less than eight weeks or occurs no more than three times per year with each episode lasting no longer than 10 days. Medications are usually effective against acute sinusitis. Successful treatment counteracts damage done to the mucous lining of the sinuses and surrounding bone of the skull.
Chronic sinusitis lasts longer than eight weeks or occurs more than four times per year with symptoms usually lasting more than 20 days.
The sinuses are covered with a mucus layer and cells that contain little hairs on their surfaces (cilia). These help trap and propel bacteria and pollutants outward.
Acute sinusitis usually follows a viral infection in the upper respiratory tract, but allergy-causing substances (allergens) or pollutants may also trigger acute sinusitis. Viral infection damages the cells of the sinus lining, leading to inflammation. The lining thickens, obstructing the nasal passage. This passage connects to the sinuses. The obstruction disrupts the process that removes bacteria normally present in the nasal passages, and the bacteria begin to multiply and invade the lining of the sinus. This causes the symptoms of sinus infection. Allergens and pollutants produce a similar effect.
Bacteria that normally cause acute sinusitis are Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Moraxella catarrhalis. These microorganisms, along with Staphylococcus aureus and some anaerobes (bacteria that live without oxygen), are involved in chronic sinusitis.
Fungi are also becoming an increasing cause of chronic sinusitis, especially in people with diseases that weaken the immune system, such as AIDS, leukemia, and diabetes.
Signs and symptoms of sinus infections depend upon which sinuses are affected and whether the sinus infection is acute or chronic.
Acute sinusitis:
Ethmoid sinusitis (behind the eyes)
Nasal congestion with discharge or postnasal drip (mucus drips down the throat behind the nose)
Pain or pressure around the inner corner of the eye or down one side of the nose
Headache in the temple or surrounding the eye
Pain or pressure symptoms are worse when coughing, straining, or lying on the back and better when the head is upright
Fever is common
Maxillary sinusitis (behind the cheek bones)
Pain across the cheekbone, under or around the eye, or around the upper teeth
Pain or pressure on one side or both
Tender, red, or swollen cheekbone
Pain and pressure symptoms are worse with the head upright and bending forward and better when reclining
Nasal discharge or postnasal drip
Fever is common
Frontal sinusitis (behind forehead, one or both sides)
Severe headaches in the forehead
Fever is common
Pain is worse when reclining and better with the head upright
Nasal discharge or postnasal drip
Sphenoid sinusitis (behind the eyes)
Deep headache with pain behind and on top of the head, across the forehead, and behind the eye
Fever is common
Pain is worse when lying on the back or bending forward
Double vision or vision disturbances if pressure extends into the brain
Nasal discharge or postnasal drip
Chronic sinusitis:
Ethmoid sinusitis
Chronic nasal discharge, obstruction, and low-grade discomfort across the bridge of the nose
Pain is worse in the late morning or when wearing glasses
Chronic sore throat and bad breath
Maxillary sinusitis
Discomfort or pressure below the eye
Chronic toothache
Pain possibly worse with colds, flu, or allergies
Increased discomfort throughout the day with increased cough at night
Frontal sinusitis
Persistent, low-grade headache in the forehead
History of trauma or damage to the sinus area
Sphenoid sinusitis
Low-grade general headache is common"
The entire article can be found HERE.
Hope you feel better soon!!!!!
I just called the doctors office and they are going to call me in a Zpack! I thought for sure they would make me go in since we are fairly new patients for them, but I talked to the nurse and she told me to check with the pharmacy after lunch!! Yippee!!
She said that I likely have no drainage because of the Claritin. Told me to continue to take that and add the Zpack!
Thanks for all the advice. I would have likely suffered at least a few more days if it weren't for you all.
Hope you're feeling better soon!
I love it when our doctor sends an Rx to the pharmacy without being seen first.
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