Rhinosinusitis Flashcards
What is rhinosinusitis?
Rhinosinusitis is a simultaneous infection of the nasal mucosa (rhinitis) and an infection of the mucosa of the paranasal sinuses (sinusitis).
A distinction is made between acute rhinosinusitis and chronic rhinosinusitis.
How would you manage rhinosinusitis?
Inhalation therapy mechanically removes deposits and relieves the symptoms of allergic or inflammatory diseases like acute or chronic rhinosinusitis
In essence, inhalation therapy resolves the obstruction found to be bothersome, alleviates the irritation of the nasal mucosa and supports the self-cleaning mechanisms
What is rhinitis?
Inflammation of the mucous membrane inside the nose
What are the symptoms of rhinitis?
Stuffy nose, runny nose, sneezing, and post-nasal drip
What causes rhinitis?
Often allergies, such as pollen and dander
Inflammation can also be caused by viruses and bacteria
In allergic rhinitis, what additional symptoms may be present?
Itching, coughing, fatigue, malaise, itchy and puffy eyes, mucus
What causes allergic rhinitis?
Inflammation is caused by the degranulation of mast cells in the nose. When mast cells degranulate, they release histamine and other chemicals, starting an inflammatory process that can cause symptoms outside the nose, such as fatigue and malaise
What pathological changes occur in rhinitis?
Most prominent pathological changes observed are nasal airway epithelial metaplasia in which goblet cells replace ciliated columnar epithelial cells in the nasal mucous membrane –> hyper secretion of mucus
How would you manage rhinitis?
Only manage allergic rhinitis:
- intranasal corticosteroids are recommended.
- For severe symptoms intranasal antihistamines may be added
What is sinusitis?
Inflammation of the mucous membranes that line the sinuses
What are the signs and symptoms of sinusitis?
Thick nasal mucus, a plugged nose, and facial pain
Other signs and symptoms may include fever, headaches, a poor sense of smell, sore throat, and a cough
How long does sinusitis last for?
It is defined as acute sinusitis if it lasts less than 4 weeks, and as chronic sinusitis if it lasts for more than 12 weeks
What causes sinusitis?
Main cause: bacterial and viral infections
Other causes: allergies, air pollution, structural nose problem
What are risk factors for sinusitis?
Asthma, cystic fibrosis, poor immune function
What would you do if sinusitis lasts for more than 12 weeks?
CT scan
Histology and tissue culture e