What is a sinus infection?

A sinus infection, also called sinusitis, is an inflammation in the hollow spaces of the head. These are above and next to the nose. This inflammation can be caused by an infection (virus, bacteria or fungus), allergies, or structural problems in the nose. Consider, for example, a clogged drain that causes you to chronically suffer from a stuffy nose.

What are the symptoms of a sinus infection?

A sinus infection causes pain and pressure in the face, a stuffy nose, runny nose and headache. Sometimes it can lead to loss of smell and taste. Coughing can also occur due to mucus dripping into the throat. Fever is also a regularly heard complaint, especially in the case of a bacterial infection.

If symptoms persist or worsen, it is important to consult a doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment. Because inflammation in the nose can be dangerous if it spreads or is not treated properly.

Acute and chronic paranasal sinusitis

A sinus infection has several forms, but we basically distinguish between the acute form and the chronic form.

Acute sinusitis is short-lived. This inflammation is often caused by a cold, air pollution or an allergic reaction. This causes the tissue to become inflamed and irritated.

With chronic sinusitis, symptoms last longer than 12 weeks. This form can be caused by persistent infections, structural problems in the nose, or long-term allergies.

While acute inflammation leads to sudden symptoms such as nasal congestion, pain and fever, chronic inflammation causes long-term symptoms such as constant nasal congestion, facial pressure and fatigue.

Read more about chronic sinusitis in the blog: chronic sinusitis: symptoms & causes

What can you do against a sinus infection?

There are several ways to treat a sinus infection. This may include the use of certain medications, managing allergies with adequate rest and hydration, or in the case of chronic inflammation, may even require surgical intervention. In addition, chronic sinusitis may require long-term treatment, sometimes with regular follow-ups to control symptoms and prevent relapses.

At ENT Shop we offer a number of medical aids that help relieve the symptoms of sinusitis.

For acute sinusitis, rinsing the nose with saline can help remove excess mucus and reduce congestion. For this you use the Nasofree Nasal Shower with nasal rinse salt. The ENT shop offers nasal rinse salt with xylitol especially for people with chronic sinusitis.

The combination of rinse salt and xylitol ensures optimal cleaning and helps to break down the biofilm of bacteria. This allows the bacteria that cause the inflammation to be better tackled.

Both articles were developed in collaboration with ENT doctors and have a scientific basis.