Ethmoiditis: symptoms and treatment

Inflammation of the mucous membranes of the nasal sinuses is a common disease that is usually the result of a previous acute respiratory viral infection. Depending on which of the sinuses the lesion is located in, one or another diagnosis is made. With the localization of the inflammatory process in the cells of the ethmoidal labyrinth (it is also called the ethmoidal sinus), acute ethmoiditis develops, which, in the absence of adequate treatment, quickly turns into a chronic form.

The mechanism of development of the disease

Most often, ethmoiditis develops when an infection enters the body, spreading by airborne droplets. If the immune defense is weakened, then the inflammation from the mucous membranes of the nose quickly spreads to the sinuses. The result is severe swelling that blocks the narrow passages that connect them to the nasal cavity.

Disruption of air circulation in blocked sinuses creates excellent conditions for the development and reproduction of infection. And due to the fact that the infected purulent mucus has no outlet, it accumulates in the nasal sinuses, presses on the walls of the inflamed mucous membranes, irritates the nerve endings and causes pain. Treatment of ethmoiditis is complicated by the fact that access to the inner parts of the labyrinth is extremely difficult.

The peculiarity of ethmoiditis is that the lattice labyrinth consists of several cells of different sizes and only one of them or all at once may be affected.

And close proximity to other sinuses (maxillary and frontal) often causes their simultaneous inflammation or the transition of the disease from one paranasal sinus to another.

Main reasons

Ethmoiditis does not always develop due to the effect of pathogenic microorganisms on the mucous membranes. Catarrhal form occurs when blockage of the ethmoid labyrinth passage, which can be caused by other reasons. In this case, not pus is collected in the sinus, but a clear liquid, the disease rarely gives complications and can be cured without the use of antibacterial drugs.

The main reasons and external factors provoking the development of ethmoiditis are:

reduced immunity - which does not protect the body from pathogenic microorganisms;
bad habits - weaken the immune system, and smoking, in addition, thinns the mucous membranes of the nose, making them more vulnerable;
chronic infections - staphylococci, streptococci, syphilis, tuberculosis, with the slightest decrease in immunity, attack the mucous membranes of the nose, provoking inflammation;
diseases of the adjacent sinuses - acute or chronic, they lead to the fact that the inflammation spreads to the ethmoid labyrinth;
anatomical features of the nose - curvature of the nasal septum, congenital narrowness of the nasal passages, etc.;
previous injuries and operations - can lead to swelling, narrowing of the passages or deformation of the bones of the nose;
severe allergic reactions - usually accompanied by swelling of the mucous membrane and profuse mucus production;
polyps and adenoids - their proliferation blocks the outflow of mucus;
external stimuli - can provoke swelling and inflammation of the mucous membrane, as well as lead to the formation of crusts and blockage of the passages of the nasal sinuses;
small foreign bodies - with a deep breath, they sometimes penetrate into the back of the nose and disrupt normal air circulation, at the same time provoking inflammation and profuse mucus production.

Most often, ethmoiditis in adults occurs just under the influence of several reasons at once and begins with an acute form, in which its symptoms are most pronounced. At this stage, the disease is fairly easy to diagnose and can be quickly cured.

Symptoms of the disease

In adults, the first symptom of ethmoiditis is clearly localized pain in the middle of the nose and inner corners of the eyes, especially pronounced when the posterior cells of the labyrinth are affected. Although mild headaches may be present in other areas. In the acute form of the disease, the following usually occur:

increase in body temperature to 38^OC, and sometimes even higher;
difficulty breathing through one or both nostrils;
redness and swelling in the inner corners of the eyes;
weakening or complete loss of smell;
visible enlargement of the turbinate;
subjective sensation of a purulent odor;
clear or purulent nasal discharge.
signs of general toxicosis: nausea, vomiting, weakness.

In the chronic form of the disease, the symptoms are not so pronounced, pain may be completely absent, the temperature is kept within the subfebrile range. However, the disorder of smell, shortness of breath, and slight edema continue to persist.

Diagnostic methods

Since it is not possible to examine the cells of the ethmoid labyrinth through the nasal passage, the initial external examination only suggests the presence of the disease. The final diagnosis can only be made after an examination with the use of diagnostic equipment:

Endoscopy - the introduction of an endoscope through a natural opening allows you to examine the lattice labyrinth from the inside, assess the condition of the mucous membranes and see if there are polyps or other neoplasms in it. If necessary, a mucus sample can be taken for testing.
X-ray - it is advisable to take several pictures in different projections. This will allow you to accurately determine which of the cells are affected, and at the same time to assess whether the inflammation has spread to the adjacent paranasal sinuses.
Computed tomography is a thorough and complete study of the lattice labyrinth, which allows the diagnosis to be made as accurately as possible and to determine the degree of mucosal damage.

Laboratory research data are no less important for diagnostics. First of all, this is a complete blood count and bacterial culture of nasal mucus.

A blood test will show how strong the ongoing inflammatory process is. Bacterial culture will determine which infection caused the disease and how sensitive it is to different groups of drugs. And only after the reasons that provoked ethmoiditis and symptoms are identified, treatment can be prescribed.

Treatment of the acute form

Symptoms and treatment accompanying ethmoiditis are very closely interrelated. First of all, it is necessary to clear the lattice labyrinth from the mucus accumulated in it. This will relieve pain and allow the drugs to act directly on the mucous membranes. But we must not forget about the reasons either - if they are not eliminated, then the sluggish inflammatory process will continue and the disease will turn into a chronic form.

In the acute course of the disease with a strong fever and severe orbital symptoms, the patient is usually offered hospitalization. This is due to the fact that with such symptoms, the rapid development of complications is likely and the primary task of doctors is to prevent them.

Excellent results are obtained by catheter lavage of the lattice labyrinth, which can be performed only in stationary conditions using special equipment. After the catheter is inserted into the sinuses, an antiseptic solution is supplied under pressure, which displaces purulent discharge and flushes them out. After cleansing the labyrinth, drugs are injected into it. A significant improvement in the condition occurs after the first procedure.

In addition, intensive drug therapy is used, consisting of several groups of drugs:

antihistamines - quickly relieve swelling and significantly reduce the amount of mucous discharge;
antibacterial - if bacteria are the causative agents of ethmoiditis;
antimycotic - for the treatment of a disease of a fungal nature and / or prevention of the development of candidiasis;
anti-inflammatory - usually combined, capable of relieving inflammation, relieving pain and lowering body temperature;
antipyretic - in the case when the body temperature exceeds 38^OC and lasts longer than several hours;
vasoconstrictor - quickly relieve swelling of the mucous membrane, but they must be used with caution.

The course of treatment includes rinsing the nasal cavity with saline or antiseptic solutions. Oil-based medicines are dripped several times a day: "Pinosol", sea buckthorn oil, chlorophyllipt solution.

After the patient's condition improves, and the body temperature does not exceed 37.2^OC, connect physiotherapy procedures. This can be electrophoresis with antiseptics or antibiotics, ultrasound therapy, UHF, quartz tube, laser heating. They significantly speed up the healing process and prevent the development of complications.

Treatment of the chronic form

Although chronic ethmoiditis does not give clear symptoms, it significantly reduces the quality of life and can, over time, provoke the development of complications. Chronic ethmoiditis responds quite well to treatment at home with folk remedies. The same methods can be used as prevention of the development of the disease after recently suffered acute respiratory infections and acute respiratory viral infections:

Fresh beet juice. It is squeezed out immediately before use, as it quickly loses its properties upon contact with air. Dripping 5-6 drops into each nostril 3-4 times a day.
Honey with onions or garlic. A very effective agent with a strong anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effect, which must be used carefully - it can irritate the mucous membrane even in adults. Therefore, with a strong burning sensation, it must be slightly diluted with water. Mix pure juice from onions or garlic with an equal amount of honey and drip 3 times a day, 3-5 drops.
Coniferous oils: fir, thuja, cedar are destructive for most pathogenic microorganisms. They must be diluted with base oil (olive, apricot, peach) in the proportion of 10 drops of essential oil per tablespoon of the base oil. Dripping 5-6 drops several times a day.
Potato juice is an excellent folk remedy for edema. Can be used as nasal drops or eye compresses. Potato juice also cannot be stored and must be squeezed out before use.
Sea buckthorn oil - very quickly relieves inflammation and actively restores the affected mucous membranes. Its most effective use is in the form of gauze turundochek, which are soaked in oil and injected into the nose for 15-20 minutes. Repeat daily.

The main plus of traditional methods of treatment is the natural composition of all components. But they do not act as quickly as pharmaceutical preparations. The minimum course of treatment is 14 days, during which procedures must be performed daily.

In parallel, it is necessary to take measures to strengthen the body's immune defenses: revise the diet and enrich it with vitamins and minerals (or drink a multivitamin complex); perform breathing exercises, take immunomodulatory drugs.

It is important to eliminate the influence of all external factors irritating the nasal mucous membranes: remove household chemicals and strong-smelling perfumes from the room, do wet cleaning of the room, check the temperature and humidity of the air, quit smoking, and carry out antifungal treatment of the air conditioner grill.

And the main thing is to remember that the decision on how to treat ethmoiditis should be made only by a doctor. If for some reason he says that using only folk remedies is not enough, then it is better to follow his recommendations and connect stronger medicines. In the absence of proper treatment, ethmoiditis gives very serious intracranial complications that you do not need at all.