Sinus Infection During Pregnancy

Sinus Infection During Pregnancy


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Sinus Infection and Pregnancy

Sinusitis is a disease characterized by inflammation in the maxillary sinus’ mucosa. The infection developing in the sinus cavity triggers the inflammatory process. Serous or purulent nasal discharge is a sure sign of sinusitis. Sinusitis can affect either one (the left or the right one) or two nasal sinuses.

The inflammation can be acute (the first occurrence of the disease with common symptoms), chronic (acute disease lasting more than 2 months) and the flare-up of a chronic disease. Etiologically, sinusitis can be rhinogenous (caused by the rhinitis), and odontogenic (caused by the transmission of the infection from the tooth to the maxillary sinus floor).

Causes of Sinusitis in Pregnancy

The most common cause of the sinusitis in pregnancy is the depressed immune function. The reserves of the future mom’s body are used for the development of the fetus. The protective functions fail, and the risk of being infected is very high. A long-lasting and untreated disease of the upper respiratory tract may cause sinusitis.

Therefore, the pregnant woman should pay more attention to her health. Even a slightest cold is worth treatment in order to avoid harmful consequences for the baby. Sinusitis is dangerous not by itself but by its complications.

Threat of Sinusitis During Pregnancy

Symptoms of acute sinusitis are always the same. It all starts from the banal runny nose and nasal congestion, lack of air. This can cause hypoxia (oxygen deprivation), which affects both the pregnant and the fetus. The infection can spread to the cranial cavity, as it is anatomically connected with the nasal cavity. Intracranial spread of infection can cause such complications as meningitis, sepsis or brain abscess.

Due to the anatomic structure of maxillary sinus, the inflammatory process can spread in the teeth of the upper jaw. The occurrence of neuritis of the trigeminal nerve may cause extreme pain in the facial area. Stuffy nose prevents the entry of air into the tissue and contributes to the development of cardiovascular and respiratory systems’ complications, affects the blood pressure rates. It is much easier to treat acute sinusitis than the chronic one, as the latter can hardly be treated without a surgery. It is not recommended to undergo a surgery during pregnancy, as it can cause a number of complications.

Symptoms of Sinusitis in Pregnancy

Sinus Infection During Pregnancy 1

Pay attention to a running or stuffy nose, and other symptoms of rhinitis that can consecutively cause sinusitis. Amid the common running nose may occur a severe headache, feeling of facial fullness, teeth pain in the upper jaw (often in posterior teeth), facial pain when touching the skin, a feeling of pressure in the nose area, increased body temperature.

At the chronic stage, symptoms are slightly different and include new ones: nighttime coughing that cannot be cured using common methods. Pus accumulated in the sinus, drains on the posterior wall of the pharynx and causes cough as a response to a stimulus. If the infection spreads into the nasal cavity, it can rise to the eye and cause conjunctivitis.

Diagnosis of Sinusitis in Pregnancy

The correct diagnosis of sinusitis is very important to select efficient treatment. The simplest and most reliable diagnostic method is an x-ray study, but given that the woman is pregnant, the use of this method is undesirable.

The doctor should carefully examine the expectant mother and establish the diagnosis using the clinical image. The maxillary sinus can be punctured in order to establish the diagnosis or in the context of treatment.

Treatment of Sinusitis in Pregnancy

One of the most effective methods of treatment is puncture of the maxillary sinus. A special needle is used to pierce the thinnest place of the membrane between the nasal cavity and the maxillary sinus. The content is evacuated with a syringe and the sinus is washed with saline antiseptic solution.

After the sinus is cleaned up, the patient starts breathing normally and the symptoms of the inflammation are reduced. The intake of antibiotics during pregnancy is undesirable, and the choice is limited, so the experts often recommend using homeopathic and folk remedies. Antibiotics can be administered locally in the sinus in order to reduce the inflammation.

If the sinus wash is conducted properly and all the pus is evacuated, the disease may not pass to the chronic stage. The incorrect treatment of acute sinusitis can cause chronic inflammation and result in a number of complications.

The effective treatment of sinusitis in pregnant women includes local therapy based on the wash of sinuses with an antiseptic antibiotic solution. As the pregnant woman is not permitted to take most of the medications, it is worth using folk remedies, and in case of a proper use of some recipes, you will soon see the beneficial effects of the treatment. You can try inhalation over boiled potatoes, menthol and bee-glue.

Use beetroot juice drops to decongest your nose. Drink raspberry and lime tree tea to break the high temperature and heal a headache. But if the disease progresses, opt for other methods, you can use preparations for babies in order to prevent a number of complications that can affect the development of the fetus.

How to Treat a Sinus Infection During Pregnancy

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