Similar to sinusitis, the symptoms of pansinusitis are even worse, you know!

Sinusitis often presents with symptoms resembling the common cold, which is a stuffy nose accompanied by a headache. As a result, many do not realize the dangers that lurk from sinusitis because they are late in getting medical treatment. What are the complications that can occur due to sinusitis? The following is the review.

Various kinds of dangers and complications of sinusitis

Sinusitis is a nasal disorder in the form of inflammation that occurs in the sinuses, the cavities around the nose, cheekbones, and forehead. Symptoms of sinusitis usually include headache and face, nasal congestion, coughing, and decreased ability to smell.

The causes of sinusitis are very diverse, but basically inflammation is caused by a bacterial, viral, or fungal infection. Other factors that increase a person's risk of developing sinusitis are allergies, colds, crooked nasal bones, decreased immune system, and the presence of nasal polyps.

In general, sinusitis rarely causes fatal health hazards. However, of course it does not rule out complications due to sinus inflammation that can occur, especially if the sufferer does not immediately get the right sinusitis treatment.

Here are some of the complications that can occur if sinusitis is not treated promptly:

1. Chronic sinusitis

Most cases of sinusitis will usually last only a few days or weeks. This condition is known as acute sinusitis.

However, sinusitis can last more than 12 weeks and occur several times a year. If this happens, it means that your sinus inflammation has developed into chronic sinusitis. This type of sinusitis has the potential to pose other dangers to your health condition.

2. Pansinusitis

Even though the name sounds similar, pansinusitis is slightly different from sinusitis. Pansinusitis is a condition when all of your sinus cavities become infected and inflamed.

In a human skull, there is more than one sinus cavity. These cavities are located behind the eyes, the back of the forehead bone, the inner structure of the cheekbones, and both sides of the bridge of the nose. When all the sinuses in the skull become inflamed, you no longer have sinusitis but pansinusitis.

Although pansinusitis causes the same problems as sinusitis, the symptoms are more severe. This is because all the sinuses are inflamed, not just one part.

Similar to ordinary sinusitis, pansinusitis is a condition that can be divided into acute and chronic. If not treated with proper treatment, acute pansinusitis can turn chronic and pose a health hazard.

3. Eye socket infection

Infections that occur in the sinus cavities can spread to other parts of the body if not treated properly. One part of the body that can be affected is the eye socket. An infection that affects the eye socket is called orbital cellulitis.

Orbital cellulitis is the term for an infection that occurs in the muscles and fatty tissue that are in the orbit or eye socket. This condition most often occurs due to a bacterial infection, such as Staphylococcus and Streptococci . However, there are also cases of orbital cellulitis that are triggered by fungal infections, such as Mucorales and Aspergillus .

So, it can be said that orbital cellulitis is a danger from sinusitis which is caused by a bacterial or fungal infection. According to an article from StatPearls , approximately 86 to 98 percent of cases of orbital cellulitis are associated with sinusitis.

Although this eye socket infection can occur at any age, it is mostly found in children.

4. Infections of the bones

Another threat that threatens sinusitis is infection of the bones. In medical terms, this condition is called osteomyelitis.

Osteomyelitis is a bone infection that occurs as a result of spreading through the bloodstream or the tissue around the bones. This condition is most commonly found in patients who have dental infections and sinusitis.

In people with sinusitis, osteomyelitis usually affects the maxillary bone, which is the bone that lies between the eye and the jaw. Unsurprisingly, one of the sinus cavities, the maxillary sinus, is located near the maxillary bone. In addition, the maxillary sinus is the part of the sinus that is most susceptible to infection.

Osteomyelitis will usually be treated with antibiotic treatment and the discharge of fluid or pus that has accumulated as a result of the infection. If not treated promptly, osteomyelitis can lead to bone death or osteonecrosis. Bone that is dead and does not bleed must be immediately surgically removed and removed.

5. Loss of olfactory power

Another complication or danger due to sinusitis is the loss of smell. This condition is usually temporary in nature, but it does not rule out the lost olfactory power cannot be restored or is permanent.

As many as 60-80% of chronic sinusitis patients experience this condition. Loss of smell can profoundly affect various aspects of life for sinusitis sufferers, from poor diet due to loss of appetite, to mental problems.

6. Blockage of blood vessels in the sinus cavities

Sinusitis can also cause harm to blood vessels, namely the risk of blockage of blood vessels in the sinus cavities. This condition is known as sinus cavity thrombosis or cavernous sinus thrombosis .

The blockage usually occurs as a result of a blood clot. Blood clots form to prevent sinus infections from spreading to other organs of the body. However, this actually results in the blood not being able to flow to the brain smoothly.

Most cases of sinus cavity thrombosis are found in children and early adulthood. Although this complication is very rare, sinus cavity thrombosis is very dangerous and has the potential to cause death.

7. Brain infection

If the infection due to sinusitis has spread to the brain, it can cause serious harm.

One of the infections that affects the brain is meningitis, or inflammation of the fluid and membranes covering the brain. This condition is usually characterized by symptoms such as fever, severe headache, vomiting, and stiff neck.

Apart from meningitis, sinusitis also has the potential to cause other hazards to the brain, such as brain abscesses and subdural empyema.

If you have sinusitis and experience additional unusual symptoms, such as high fever, redness and swelling around the eyes and nose, blurred vision, and decreased consciousness, consult a doctor immediately. These symptoms could indicate complications from sinusitis that you have.