Sinus Infection Causes
Sinus infection is also known as the sinusitis can occur due to the inflammation of nasal passage or into the sinus. Generally, the viral infections occurred into the upper respiratory tract causes the sinusitis, but sometimes pollutants or allergens also result into the sinus infection. There are some common factors that cause Sinus infection like hay fever, viral influenza and common cold.
- Cold
Cold results into the nasal inflammation in some cases. The nasal drainage also can be affected by the inflammation. Finally, this congestion in the sinus drainage causes inflammation at high level.
- Influenza
When a person suffers from the common flu, body produces extra mucus to defend from the harmful virus. This makes the nose full with mucus. Generally, common flu remains for the maximum one week, and a person can recover after that period. In some cases, the long period of flu causes the inflammation into the sinuses. As the nasal passage is the sensitive part of the body, it easily gets infected by the viruses and bacteria.
- Bacteria
There are some bacteria that cause the sinus infection. These bacteria can be haemophilus and streptococcus pneumoniae. At the beginning, these bacteria inhibit into the upper respiratory tract, but they become major cause of sinusitis when they increase in numbers.
- Fungal Infection
Fungi are also becoming one of the major causes of sinus infection, especially the chronic sinusitis. This type of infection is mostly found in the people who are suffering from the diseases that affect the immune system. These diseases include AIDS, diabetes and leukemia. Fungi are common in the environment in which human live. As humans have the natural resistant power to fight with fungi, it doesn't affect the human body.
Some times, the black molds can cause the serious damage to the immune system. When the natural sunlight cannot reach to these molds, the immune system weakens drastically. Aspergillus is a kind of fungus that creates some serious problems to the people with weak immune system.
- Allergens and Dust Particles
People are most of the time exposed to the allergens, irritants and dust particles. If these elements accumulate into the nasal passage, they block the way of the mucus drainage. This blockage causes the inflammation in sinus, and that leads to the sinusitis.
- Nasal Turbinate
There are three nasal turbinates that placed at the sides of the nasal passage. These are soft tissues which work to warm the air before it enters into the lungs. As a natural process, these tubinates enlarge, but some time they enlarge excessively that causes the obstruction in that nasal cavity. Hence, the bacteria easily inhibits in that blocked area that causes the sinus infection.
- Acid Reflux
It is also observed that acid reflux also creates the condition in which person is expose to sinus infection. The increased acid reflux level results into the gastric acid in esophagus. This situation makes the situation worse when inflammation is induced into the nasal passage.
The different causes of sinus infection plays important role while determining the method of treatment.
