Nearly 40 million people deal with sinus infections each year. If you're within this group, you know just how uncomfortable it can be to deal with this condition. Fortunately, most of these infections can be treated with over-the-counter medications, steam treatments and sometimes simply rest. However, for some people, this isn't the case. Being able to distinguish a regular sinus infection from a serious infection is critical to your health.
Prolonged Infection
Pay attention to the length of your infection. First, there is no set time frame that an infection will last. Everyone is different and therefore their body will pass the infection at a different rate. However, there is a such thing as too long. If you've only been dealing with the symptoms of an infection for a couple of days, this isn't generally reason to panic.
However, when you have had persistent symptoms for several weeks, it's time to speak with a physician. Not only could an aggressive infection be to blame, there could be some underlying medical issue you're dealing with that is preventing the infection from passing, such as a deviated septum.
Eyelid Pain
The area in which you are experiencing discomfort can be a telltale sign of the severity of an infection. Sinus infections cause inflammation, which leads to pressure and pain. For most people, this discomfort is experienced in the space behind their nose, below their eyes and around the upper jaw.
However, pain above and around the eyelid area that is so severe it makes keeping your eyes open hard, should be cause for concern. Sinus infections always come with the risk of spreading throughout your head, including the lining around your brain, leading to meningitis. While pain in this area does not mean you have meningitis, it's a good idea to be examined to ensure the infection isn't spreading. It's important to stress that this is a rare scenario, but important to investigate.
Elevated Temperature
If you experience a fever while dealing with a sinus infection, you need to seek medical treatment. Any temperature reading that exceeds 101 degrees is considered a fever. It's especially important to follow up if you have already been prescribed antibiotics for the infection and your high fever persists.
The elevated temperature level is an indication that your current medicine may need to be changed, the infection has spread or there is again an underlying condition that is interfering with the medication. An elevated temperature level over an extended period has the potential to cause great harm so contact a medical professional right away.
Sinus infections are common, but all symptoms aren't. If you are concerned about a symptom you're experience, make sure you seek assistance (at clinics like West Ocean City Injury & Illness Center).
Share24 August 2016
