If you suffer from fungal sinusitis symptoms, here’s a list of sinusitis conditions. Find out how to decipher the signals your body is sending to you, when under the influence of a sinusitis reaction…
Fungal sinusitis is a reaction that takes place when one is allergic to environment based fungi, that leads to a sinus blockage with symptoms linked to chronic sinusitis like nasal congestion and sinus headaches. This is also known as ‘eosinophilic mucinous rhinosinusitis’ or ‘eosinophilic fungal rhinosinusitis’. Fungi live in a moist environment and in dark areas within the nose cavity, thriving in such conditions.
People who react severely to the presence of fungi, are most likely to develop sinusitis reactions, leading to chronic sinusitis. We find out how this develops into various kinds of fungal sinusitis, where we also further discuss the sinus infection symptoms and treatment.
Fungal Sinusitis Signs
There are two main types of invasive fungal sinus infections namely, chronic and acute. When one goes through the symptoms of fungal sinusitis, the immune system is crippled due to a severe case of acute sinus infection.
Fungi is known for feeding on organic matter that is dead, but if the immunity cannot fend them off, they start to attack tissues that are still alive. This in turn spreads to the central nervous system, blood vessels and even the eye area with effects that are highly destructive. Inflammation in the nasal cavity takes place once fungi enters the body when one inhales, thus allowing it to reproduce in the absence of food and light.
These invasive symptoms of fungal sinusitis are similar to that of bacterial sinusitis, so look out for these as well, and accordingly seek medical help to find out how to treat the individual problems.
- Pressurized feeling on the face
- Nose is stuffy
- Headaches
- Cough
- Nasal polyps
- Sinus drainage is thick
- Inflammation
- Phlegm build up
- Sneezing
- Loss of appetite
- Going numb in the face
- Visual problems
- Swelling of the face
- Fever
- Issues that arise mentally
- Facial pain
These signs can turn from. These include.
- Meningitis
- Osteomyelitis, or also known as Pott’s puffy tumor, affecting the frontal bone
- Cavernous sinus thrombosis
- Brain abscess
- Cutaneous fistula
- Orbital cellulitis
Other Factors that can Lead to Chronic/Acute Sinusitis
There are a lot of other pertaining factors that can lead one to suffer from any of the different types of sinusitis infections, besides that of fungal sinusitis. These are.
- Hormonal imbalance (pregnant women)
- Asthma
- Allergies
- Inhalation of narcotics
- Smoking
- Nasal polyps
- Dental infections
- Dry nasal cavity
- Immunocompromised (impaired immune system, due to a disease)
- Upper respiratory tract infection
- Past trauma to the nose/cheeks
- Foreign bodies
- Latrogenesis (mechanically induced breathing techniques)
Allergic Fungal Sinusitis
Those who get allergic fungal sinusitis or AFS, have a history of rhinitis with a problem in detecting the initial stages of the condition. The allergen that is present in the nasal cavity, has to be surgically removed due to hard fungal debris along with mucin. The symptoms of AFS, are as follows.
- Obstruction in the nasal cavity
- Facial pain
- Sinus headache
- Cough
- Sneezing
- Discharge from the nose, which is thick and pus-like in nature
- Post nasal drip effect in the throat cavity
- Nasal congestion
- Runny nose
- Nasal stuffiness
Treatment
When the condition gets out of hand, the symptoms change from mild to severe, leading to facial pain that becomes slightly unbearable, and nasal discharge that is dark in color. The symptoms also become immune to doses of medication and antibiotics, that aim at killing bacterium. A CT scan of the nasal cavity is needed to study the seriousness of the disease. Accordingly corticosteroid nasal sprays are prescribed that are pretty helpful when it comes to allergic fungal sinusitis.
Antifungal drugs are also used to treat immune deficiencies as part of the treatment options.
The symptoms of this condition can be treated effectively if you or others you know, go and get it examined in time. Check for any allergies that you may have, causing your nasal cavity to act up in response. Be observant of any ongoing uncomfortable nasal problems that have been taking place for weeks, and get it examined pronto.