Differentiating Sinus Allergy from a Common Allergy
Many people are allergic to irritants in the environment. When it comes to nasal allergies, these could be as common as seasonal allergies or as serious as sinus allergies. However, when these are sinus allergy signs, you cannot ignore them. Frequent sinus or sinusitis may become chronic in just two to three months. Then, it turns into a serious inflammatory disorder of the nasal sinuses, which may also affect the brain.However, most people cannot detect the signs of sinus allergy and they treat it as a common cold or infection.
Understanding sinusitis and its occurrence
As it is critical to treat sinusitis in time, it is important to detect the sinus allergy signs.
Sinuses are linked to the nose via tiny tunnels, and these not only support some sounds but also filter the air and keep it warm and moist in the nasal passage.
Symptoms that differentiate common allergy from sinus allergy
While you may have developed allergies from specific irritants previously or during certain seasons, it is necessary to recognize when it has caused sinus blockage and when it is not just a common cold. A few sinus allergy signs that you should be aware of include the following:
- A nasal infection lasting for three weeks or more may be sinusitis. On the other hand, common cold and allergies may make it severe.
- The patient may experience tiredness and temperature. In some cases, shivers may also be experienced.
- There may be thick mucus in green or yellow color. It may come out of the nose or from the back of the throat.
- The patient may not have an active sense of smell or taste, as well as have a bad taste or bad breath in the mouth.
- The throat of the patient may go sore. There may also be a bad cough, sneezing, runny nose, post-nasal drip, and nasal congestion.
- The patient showing sinus allergy signs may face a headache, toothache, and/or facial pain , and congestion. The face may become tender, especially at the bridge of the nose and under the eyes.
- The pressure in the nasal cavity may be experienced. It may be felt more when the patient leans forward.
- The patient may suffer from obstructive sleep apnea.
What to do after detecting sinus allergy
If you have detected the sinus allergy signs and you are sure that it is not the common cold or the kind of allergic reaction you usually experience, then it is time to take action to treat it as soon as possible. In fact, you should consult the doctor immediately to be sure of your detection and seek treatment before the sinus blockage goes complicated.If it is close to the brain, then it can even be a threat to the patient’s life.
Please note that not all the given symptoms may be present in every individual who has developed a nasal allergy. However, if some sinus allergy signsare indicative of the problem, then the doctor may offer the following types of treatments:
- Antibiotics – To kill the bacteria and control their growth in sinuses, antibiotics are the first treatment given in acute cases. However, a proper detection of the problem and the allergic reactions of an individual are critical considerations before anydrug treatment is given.
- Antihistamines and nasal decongestants – Antihistamines block inflammation due to allergy, while nasal decongestants reduce swelling and drain the mucus.
- Steam inhalation and saline washes – These treatments help in the thinning and clearing of mucus.
- Surgery – If all types of drug and therapy treatments fail to show their effect, an otolaryngologist may perform a surgery.
Sinus allergy may last longer than other common allergies and cold. As it is a serious disease and may cause several major diseases, it must be detected on time and proper treatment must be taken to get rid of it quickly.