What Causes Sinusitis?

All throughout your skull there are hollow cavities, called sinuses, that run through your cheeks, forehead, and behind your eyes. When your sinuses are clear, air travels through them freely. But if you have sinusitis, your sinuses are inflamed and swollen, making it difficult for air to pass through them.

The Three Main Types of Sinusitis

Sinusitis is a general term for inflamed sinuses, but the severity and frequency of your symptoms will determine which type of sinusitis you have.

• Acute sinusitis is the most common type of sinusitis, affecting more than 3 million people in the United States. Typically, acute sinusitis is caused by a cold or allergies and will go away within a few weeks with the help of home remedies.   
• Chronic sinusitis can last for several months or years. Nasal congestion and postnasal drip are the most common symptoms and can cause someone to develop a chronic cough and congestion.  
• Recurrent sinusitis is defined as short, but frequent episodes of acute sinusitis. Patients with recurrent sinusitis can experience the symptoms of a sinus infection for only a few days or weeks at a time, however this happens several times a year. Just like chronic sinusitis, this can severely impact your quality of life. 

Causes of Sinusitis

Sinusitis can be caused by a number of things, but the most common ones are:

• Nasal polyps. Though they’re non-cancerous, these small growths can block your airways or become infected, leading to sinusitis. 
• Deviated septum. If your septum (the wall between your nasal passage) is crooked, either from a birth defect or from an accident, it can block and irritate your sinuses. 
• A medical illness or disease. Cystic fibrosis, GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), HIV, and other immune system-related conditions can all affect your sinuses. 
• Asthma. Asthma greatly affects your breathing, which can lead to inflamed sinuses. 
• Allergies. Inflammation caused by allergies, especially hay fever, can block your sinuses.    

If you think you have a sinus infection, the specialists at Florida ENT can quickly and accurately cure your symptoms. We encourage you to give our Sinus & Facial Plastics Institute a call to schedule an appointment. To schedule an appoint, give us a call at (877) EAR-NOSE!