The long haul recovery of some sinusitis patients

Sinusitis infection in people is expected to improve within weeks of medication, but this is not the reality for some patients. This non-communicable disease “is an inflammation of the lining inside the sinuses which can be acute or chronic. When the sinuses become blocked and fill with fluid, germs can grow and cause symptoms such as headache and nasal yellowish secretions,” says the World Health Organization (WHO).

The disease naturally subsides but for those who need to take medication, it requires antibiotics, decongestants, and nasal sprays, but when the sinuses, (the hollow spaces within the bones around the nose) are blocked it is often caused by “common cold, hay fever or nasal polyps (small lumps inside the nose),” says WHO.

Dacia Campbell (not her real name) is in her early 20s has had sinusitis for over 10 years but has not been cured from the disease. “Mi sinus always a drain and I have to be drawing up my nose because I am always stuffy too,” says Campbell. She seldomly takes medication, which would be a cough syrup. However, she hopes the disease will disappear because her throat has a constant itch.

Common symptoms of sinusitis infection are runny or stuffy nose, facial pain or pressure, headache, mucus dripping down the throat (postnasal drip), sore throat, cough, and bad breath, as presented by data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Some sinusitis indicators among patients are similar while others differ because of different environments. “I have a dry cough that will not go away and when I smell something strong or it is too hot, the coughing start,” says primary school cook, Michelle Walker (not her name). “Sometimes I believe I have allergies too because of what always a happen to me,” she added.

Allergies are a common condition that results in the body’s reaction to usually harmless substances found in the environment. However, Williams self-medicates by gargling her throat with warm water to moisten it and takes cough syrup sometimes.

Another sinusitis patient, with the condition for a few years, suffers from swollen sinuses and sneezes regularly. “Sometimes when mi get up a morning time, mi face swell up and mi know a mi sinus, an if mi press them, them feel tender,” says Dorraine Smith (not her real name).

But, there are ways to treat sinuses that have become painful and swollen. According to the CDC, patients should “put a warm compress over the nose and forehead to help relieve sinus pressure or breathe in steam from a bowl of hot water or shower.” Smith seldomly breathes in steam to soothe the pain.

However, health professionals recommend that patients with consistent sinusitis problems or other conditions resulting from the infection, must seek urgent care.