I had a request for a guest post on Sinusitis – so I asked how it was associated to allergies or how it could be mistaken for allergies…. This is what he came up – I found it very interesting – hope you do as well…
Hayfever or Sinusitis – What’s Causing That Congestion?
The following article is written by Mark on behalf of Balloon Sinuplasty. You can visit the Balloon Sinuplasty site for more information on sinusitis symptoms and chronic sinusitis treatment.
Summer’s finally here. The days are longer and warmer and you’re feeling in the mood to exercise! Or maybe not? Why is it that just when the weather gets good, your hayfever kicks in on overdrive and whatever you do you can’t seem to shift it? Well it could be because you don’t have hayfever at all…
Are you congested and suffering from headaches and fatigue? Has your stamina dropped through the floor? Do you find it hard to lift your head off the pillow in the morning, never mind get your training shoes on and work out? Have you been using decongestants and anti-histamines like there’s no tomorrow but don’t seem to be getting any better? Then there’s every chance you’ve got sinusitis.
Sinusitis has very similar symptoms to hayfever (allergic rhinitis) and to the common cold. This is partly because sinusitis tends to occur as a result of both these conditions. Hayfever is when the nasal membrane becomes inflamed as a reaction to allergens. Sinusitis is when the membrane in the sinuses becomes inflamed or infected.
The sinuses are small air cavities behind the forehead and cheekbones and between the eyes. When their membrane swells it can create an obstruction. Mucous becomes trapped in the sinuses and starts to build up. This causes a whole range of unpleasant symptoms that interfere with your day to day life.
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America did an online survey of over 600 people who believed that they suffered from hayfever. Nearly 50% of them had misdiagnosed their symptoms. And because most people don’t bother to visit their doctors when they think they have hayfever, many cases of sinusitis go undiagnosed and untreated. This is exactly the kind of thing that gets in the way of you keeping fit and healthy.
The symptoms of hayfever tend to be sneezing, a runny/itchy/blocked nose and watery/itchy eyes. The symptoms of sinusitis are a little different and include headaches, pain and pressure around the sinuses, a blocked nose, fatigue and discharge of a yellowy-green mucous. Sinusitis can also cause teeth pain, coughing, fever, a sore throat and bad breath.
There are two mains types of sinusitis – acute and chronic. Acute sinusitis means that the symptoms will occur suddenly and usually clear up within a few weeks. The common cold tends to last for around a week so if after this time your symptoms are worsening, and appear to be more like those displayed by sinusitis than hayfever, you should see your doctor.
Although over-the-counter decongestants can help alleviate symptoms of acute sinusitis, in the longer term they do sometimes make things worse. If the condition hasn’t cleared up after a week your doctor may need to prescribe you a course of antibiotics or a steroidal nasal spray as a treatment.
Chronic sinusitis is diagnosed if you have symptoms that persist for over 12 weeks or if you are continually getting bouts of sinusitis. Often people who suffer from chronic sinusitis are more likely to experience loss of smell and less likely to experience facial pain. Again, this condition can usually be treated with anti-biotics or a nasal spray. However, in some cases your doctor will recommend surgery.
So why is all this so important to you and your fitness regime? Well, both hayfever and sinusitis can have a big impact on your health and fitness. And unless you know what’s causing your congestion you won’t be able to treat your symptoms. A recent academic study from the University of Maryland Medical Centre stated:
“Pain, fatigue, and other symptoms of chronic sinusitis can have significant effects on the quality of life. This condition can cause emotional distress, impair normal activity, and reduce attendance at work or school”
…which means it’s certainly not going to motivate you to go out for that run. So if you’ve been suffering from any of the above symptoms go and see your doctor. And get yourself back to fighting fitness.
Sources:
http://www.umm.edu/patiented/articles/what_symptoms_of_sinusitis_000062_4.htm
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Sinusitis/Pages/Introduction.aspx
http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/rhinitis.cfm
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