A sinus infection may be caused by a virus. Some symptoms of sinus infections include thick, clogged nose, headache, foul-smelling yellowish mucus, fever and pain around the upper jaws and eyes. There are many reasons that cause sinus infections. In order to deal with your sinus infection the doctor will first need to know the factors behind it. VKool.com will show you the article of what causes sinus infections: 14 reasons. The writing collected a list of sinus infection causes from reliable sources. Keep reading this writing to learn more these 14 causes of sinus infections in more detail!

What Causes Sinus Infections In Adults: 14 Reasons 

1. Allergies

What causes sinus infections? One of the top causes is allergies. Because inflammation may block the nasal passages as well as prevent draining, allergies are often linked to sinus infections. In fact, people with a sinus infection who have allergies often tend to get more extensive sinusitis. If you are prone to hay fever or allergies, you should avoid things which trigger allergic reactions, like dust mites, pet dander, cockroaches and mold. Over-the-counter antihistamines or prescription as well as prescription nasal sprays can decrease chronic inflammation in your sinuses and nasal lining.

Learn more: Best Solutions For pollen Allergies Symptoms

2. Viruses

Viruses cause many health problems, including sinus infections. What causes sinus infections? Viruses are also considered as one of the top reasons that cause a sinus infection. Most sinus infections begin with a cold. Generally, colds are caused by one virus that can make the nasal tissue swell, blocking all holes which normally drain sinuses. If the sinus infections are caused by one virus, antibiotics will not help because these drugs fight off only bacteria. The symptoms may be getting better after about one week or so. A decongestant may help, but do not use it for more than 4-5 days in order to avoid becoming dependent. The ideal defenses against the sinus infections are the similar things that protect against the flu and colds as well. In other words, wash your hands, get a flu shot as well as do not chill with visibly ill.

3. Bacteria

If a cold doesn’t resolve in ten to fifteen days, bacteria can have joined the party. These bacteria lurk in the healthy people; they are waiting for the suitable circumstances to grow. You should take one decongestant during a cold in order to avoid those circumstances. You can cure a sinus infection with antibiotics.

4. Polyps

What causes sinus infections? Polyps are one of the causes of this problem. Nasal polyps are small, start growths that develop from sinus tissues or nose and can cause your sinus cavities to be blocked, preventing mucus from leading and draining to sinus infection. The little gems can also prevent airway passages that may in turn trigger head pain. Chronic allergies may cause long-term swollen as well as scarred areas of the polyps and nasal passages. Those with nasal polyps usually have a reduced sense of smell. Polyps are cured with a short course of the oral steroids or nasal steroid sprays, and if steroid treatments do not work, surgery can be necessary.

Read on: The Book For Treating Nasal Polyps

5. Irritating Pollutants

Pollutants and allergens in the air—such as dust, strong odors like perfume and outdoor air pollution—may contribute to irritate your nose, coughing and cause inflammation which can raise your risk of sinusitis. You had better avoid the irritants as much as possible in order to decrease the occurrence of this problem, particularly if you must suffer from asthma or allergies. An air purifier can also decrease pollutants in the air.

6. Diving and Swimming

If you are prone to congestion or sinus infections, you should avoid spending the long periods in the chlorinated pools, as chlorine may irritate your nasal lining as well as sinuses. Diving into the water may also be a problem. The pressure during one dive may push water into the sinuses, and inflame and irritate the tissue.

7. Flying

What causes sinus infections? Flying is also one of the top causes of this problem. Travel a lot for pleasure or work? It could aggravate the sinuses. As the air pressure is decreased in-flight, it may cause pressure in order to build up in the head, which in turn may block your air passages and sinuses as well as aggravate cold symptoms. It is commonly problematic during landing and takeoff. If you suffer from frequent a sinus infection or are congested but cannot miss your flight, you can use inhaler or a decongestant nasal drop before takeoff to maintain your sinuses clear.

8. Fungi

Fungi (or fungus) are unusual reasons of sinus infections. While the fungal sinus infections may occur in the healthy individuals, they are really most common in those with weakened immune systems. In general, when the immune system is vulnerable, the fungi can grow, especially in dark and damp environments—aka your sinuses. In several people, chronic sinusitis may be created by an allergic reaction to one fungus. Treatments can include surgery to get rid of the fungi, scraping the infected sinus or antifungal therapy. See a doctor if you have headache, fever and vision troubles for more than ten days.

9. Overuse Of Nasal Products

Nasal decongestant sprays can relieve congestion—they restrict the blood vessels in your nose—you had better avoid prolonged use of the over- counter nasal sprays, because they can make the symptoms worse if it is not used as directed.

10. Smoking

Like the air pollutants, cigar smoke and cigarette can also irritate the nose and cause inflammation, thus making us more susceptible to the sinus infections. Those who smoke can be at higher risk of sinus infections, as the natural sinus-cleaning system may be damaged by the cigarette smoke.

Learn more: 7 Worst Disadvantages Of Smoking

11. Lack Of Dry Or Moisture Air

As mucus is trapped in your nasal passages for the long time periods, it may lose water and thicken. It worsens symptoms as well as makes sinusitis more likely. Hence, doctors recommend you maintain the nose well. Start by avoiding caffeine and drinking lots of water, and use a humidifier to hold indoor air moist in the winter. Reality, the occasional use of the nasal irrigation treatments, such as saline sprays, can also help prevent or treat sinusitis symptoms.

12. Unusual Anatomy

If you were born with polyps or a nasal abnormality you can be at higher risk of the sinus infections. Narrow drainage passages, a cleft palate, or tumors may block openings in your sinus, preventing mucus drainage. In fact, the mucus may then get infected with bacteria or viruses.

Surgery can be necessary to correct the abnormalities.

13. Chronic Medical Conditions

Generally, chronic conditions, like cystic fibrosis as well as other disorders which weaken your immune system, may lead to inflammation in airways as well as make you prone to the developing thick mucus. The thicker mucus ability to combat germs due to HIV infection or diabetes may set the stage for the sinus infections.

14. Foods

What causes sinus infections? Another cause is foods. Here are some foods that can cause sinus infections:

1. Caffeinated drinks usually lead to dehydration that is not good for nasal congestion. Especially, a clogged nose will get worse as well as getting relief from the mucus will become difficult.
2. Chilled items. Having an ice cream or chilled drinks can probably not affect your intensity of sinus infection but it may definitely lead to one sharp pain in your cheek bones and head as well. This is not one pain that lasts, however the moment it occurs, this may cause great discomfort. Furthermore, it may lead to thickening of your mucus.
3. Be it cheese, milk as well as any other dairy product, all of these products are all linked to phlegm that causes discomfort in the sinus infections.
4. Like caffeinated drinks, alcohol tends to dehydrate your body. It results in the thickening of your mucus as well as worsening of the sinus infections. Being a diuretic, this causes raised fluid loss from your body. The fluid is needed by your body to maintain the mucus flowing freely. It once again leads to raised congestion.
5. Spicy food may not or may be bad for everybody suffering from the sinus infection problem. In several cases, spicy foods may cause running nose and can lead to clearing of your mucus, as for others it may aggravate the trouble. If you see that a spicy your diet in sinus infection acts against you, you stop immediately.

To get more information related to health problems, go to our main diseases & conditions page. After reading the writing of what causes sinus infection in adults: 14 reasons, hope that this writing helps you learn more the sinus infection causes to prevent and treat it fast and effectively. If you have any question, please leave them below, I will respond you as soon as possible. Also you can share the experience if you know any other sinus infection causes to us.

Related articles on sinus infections:

20 Natural Solutions For Sinus Infection Pain In Adults & Children

Effective Ways To Prevent Sinus Infection Safely And Effectively

Easy Ways To Cure Sinus Infection Naturally Without Antibiotics

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