There are many of us who suffer from sinusitis, that irritating conditions where the sinuses are inflamed periodically and which leads to a feeling of nausea, headache and contribute to cold and cough. Sinusitis is a common condition among all age groups and though it strikes more in women than men, increasingly, more men are being susceptible to it. Sinusitis is caused by an infection in the paranasal sinuses that can be the result of bacterial, viral and fungal causes, because of which the autoimmune system breaks down. In this context, it is worthwhile to examine what are the bacteria that infect the sinus cavities. There are different kinds of sinusitis. One of them is the frontal sinusitis that causes the severe pressure in the frontal sinus cavity behind the forehead and between the eyes causing headaches.

Recent studies have found that sinusitis could occur because of a spectrum of infections that in turn affect the breathing by blocking the respiratory tract with different kinds of foreign matter. You may be suffering from acute, sub-acute or chronic sinusitis that may result in your breathing becoming shallow, and all three kinds of sinusitis present themselves with similar symptoms. Acute sinusitis can be the result of a viral infection that occurs in the respiratory tract. This is viral in nature and causes severe headache and body aches as a result of the virus infecting your body. If the acute sinusitis is caused by bacteria, the most probable scenario is the infection of your sinus cavities with streptococcus bacteria. These are harmful to the body and your immune system needs fortified defenses to fight against this infection.

Serious implications can result from the bacterial infection caused by staphylococcus bacterium that manifest themselves in the upper sinus cavities and can lead to prolonged spells of cough and cold. There are instances where the viral sinusitis can result in bacterial sinusitis and these mutations have to be dealt with by taking appropriate medication. Fungal sinusitis can result in people with diabetes and people who have low immunity. Hence, it is usually found that people suffering from AIDS contract fungal sinusitis more than the others who have strong immune systems. Many times, people working in industrial areas and those that are exposed to pollution and dust are prone to fungal sinusitis.

Though research at this time does not provide enough information on what causes chronic sinusitis there are enough indications that allergies to dust and pollen cause the chronic variety to manifest fully and that it is seasonal as well. The effective treatment that is recommended is drainage of the sinus cavities of the fluid that has accumulated there. This treatment is painful and if it is done at regular intervals can lower the immune system of the person, and that person would be susceptible to further infections. The best cures are often the natural kinds, and it is better to treat sinusitis using natural remedies like Yoga and Ayurveda.

Jonathan Pitts

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