What are the causes of sinusitis?
• Mechanical obstruction from a deviated septum or nasal polyp. • Swelling- Swollen mucous membranes in your nose will block the ostia. This occurs with • Seasonal allergies • Head colds • Vasomotor rhinitis; a condition when swelling is caused by dilated blood vessels in the nose. Triggers for vasomotor rhinitis include cold weather, barometric pressure changes with the approach of cold fronts, stress, and irritants such as perfumes and air pollution. • Drying- Thin watery mucus clears from our sinuses easily. Thick pasty mucus does not. Dehydration, certain medications, and low humidity (low dew point) will dry and inhibit the flow of mucus. • Cilia that line our sinuses sweep organisms and debris from sinus cavities. Dry, matted mucus will prevent the cilia from working properly and tobacco products will disable them completely. Even occasional smoking will do this. Treatment of sinusitis Most sinus infections are viral and don’t respond to antibiotics. Only 2% of cases are bacteria
