What Is Ethmoid Sinusitis?

Ethmoid sinusitis can be divided into acute and chronic. Acute ethmoid sinusitis is acute suppurative sinusitis, an acute purulent infection of the sinus mucosa. Acute ethmoid sinusitis is not treated in time or improperly treated, causing severe damage to the mucosa and loss of normal function, which can become chronic inflammation.

Basic Information

English name: ethmoiditis
English alias: ethmoid sinusitis

Visiting department: ENT
Common causes: Nasal infections, adjacent tissue infections, etc.
Common symptoms: Nasal congestion, runny nose, hyposmia, headache, etc.

Causes of ethmoid sinusitis

Sinus infection

The sinus and sinus ostium are relatively small. Once the stenosis or obstruction occurs, the ventilation and drainage of the sinus cavity are both affected and easy to accumulate pus, or become chronic inflammation. And the sinus mouth and sinus wall of each sinus are close to each other. Inflammation of one sinus tends to affect adjacent sinuses, especially the inflammation of the maxillary sinus is prone to ethmoid sinusitis.

Nasal infection

(1) Acute rhinitis: It is a common cause of sinusitis. It may be due to the continuous mucosa of the two that the inflammation can invade the sinuses.

(2) Other diseases of the nasal cavity: Deviation of the nasal septum, hypertrophy of the turbinate, hypertrophy of the mucous membrane, tumors and foreign bodies in the nasal cavity, and nasal allergies can block the sinus opening, making the sinus ventilation and drainage blocked and inflamed.

(3) Contaminants enter the sinuses through the nasal cavity: such as swimming, diving, diving, improper methods, or forcefully blow your nose after swimming, so that sewage enters the sinuses and becomes inflamed. Most of these infections are caused by anaerobic bacteria, and clinical symptoms are usually severe.

(4) The stuffing in the nasal cavity is left for too long; local irritation and contamination, as well as obstructed ventilation and drainage of the sinus orifice, cause inflammation.

3. Adjacent tissue infections

4. Bloodborne infections

5. Traumatic infection

Trauma such as fractures, retention of foreign bodies, and blood clots.

6. Systemic factors

Such as reduced immune function, diabetes, malnutrition, vitamin deficiency and so on.

Clinical manifestations of ethmoid sinusitis

Systemic symptoms

May have symptoms of loss of appetite, irritability, chills, fever, constipation, insomnia, and malaise.

Local symptoms

(1) Nasal symptoms : nasal congestion on the affected side, which may be caused by swelling of the nasal mucosa or accumulation of nasal secretions in the nasal cavity; In the posterior group, the ethmoid sinus inflammation in the posterior group was mostly sucked back into the pharynx and then vomited; the sense of smell decreased, especially in the ethmoid sinus and sphenoid sinus. The patient's nasal mucus was mixed with blood or the nasal smell was stinky.

(2) Headaches Headaches are generally mild, but in various forms, sometimes swollen or slightly painful in the iliac crest and deep nasal roots; sometimes headaches in the forehead and often recurring, especially those in the former group Acute frontal sinusitis is similar, except to a lesser degree. Occasional occipital headache, similar to sphenoid sinusitis, this is mostly posterior ethmoid sinusitis. Sometimes it is pain in the back of the eyeball, which becomes worse when the eyeball is rolled or pressed with the finger; sometimes the headache is limited to the temporal area. It is usually heavy in the morning and light in the afternoon.

Ethmoid sinus examination

Local swelling

Most often in children, redness and swelling in the internal crust.

2. Tenderness and Buckling

Severe local pain can be caused by compressing the affected sinus wall or tapping.

3. Anterior Rhinoscopy

The mucosa was congested, and the middle nails and ethmoidal vesicles were enlarged and congested. In the whole group, ethmoid sinusitis shows purulent secretions in the middle nasal passage and olfactory fissure.

4. X-ray of frontal sinus

Take the frontal and lateral positions of the nose, compare the bilateral light transmittance, and judge the lesions.

5.CT scan

Coronal and axial scans can be used to show the ethmoid sinus and its extent and the pus in the sinus cavity.

Diagnosis of ethmoid sinusitis

Ask a detailed medical history and analyze the condition carefully. Children may have redness and swelling. The ethmoid sinus on the ipsilateral side has tenderness, throbbing pain, and nasal cavity examination may have enlarged and congested middle turbinate and ethmoid vesicles. Purulent secretions can be seen in the nasal passage of the anterior ethmoid sinus, and purulent secretions can be seen in the olfactory fissure in the posterior group. Microscopy to observe the source of pus and X-ray or CT of the sinuses. CT examination makes the diagnosis of sinusitis more convenient and straightforward.

Differential diagnosis of ethmoid sinusitis

Distinguish from acute rhinitis and other sinus inflammation.

Ethmoid Sinusitis Treatment

General therapy

Pay attention to rest, drink plenty of water, and symptomatic treatment of headaches and other symptoms.

2. Anti-inflammatory treatment

It is preferred to use penicillin antibiotics in sufficient quantities. For allergies or resistance, other broad-spectrum antibiotics should be used.

3. Local treatment

Nasal treatments include nasal mucosal vasoconstrictors and antibiotic nose drops, replacement surgery, and so on. Physical therapy such as ultrasonic nebulization, steam inhalation, and topical compresses can be used.

4. Surgery

Acute phase is not suitable for surgery. Used when sinus inflammation spreads out and causes serious complications in adjacent organs.

Surgery can be used when the standard treatment in the acute phase does not improve for more than 1 month or becomes chronic. To improve the sinus ventilation and drainage, and promote the subsidence of sinus inflammation. Complementary surgery includes correcting the high curvature of the nasal septum, nasal polypectomy, and partial turbinate resection. Sinus surgery is divided into traditional sinus radical surgery and functional nasal endoscopic sinus surgery that is currently widely used.

Ethmoid sinus prevention

1. Usually pay attention to nasal hygiene, develop good sanitary habits in the morning and evening.

2. Pay attention to the method of snotting. Those with nasal congestion and nasal discharge should press the nostril on one side of the nasal cavity and forcefully exfoliate. Alternate afterwards. Wash your nose with saline when your nose is too thick to avoid damaging your nasal mucosa.

3. When swimming, make sure your posture is correct and try to keep your head out of the water.

4. Patients with dental disease should be treated thoroughly.

5. During an acute attack, take more rest. The bedroom should be bright and maintain indoor air circulation. But avoid direct blowing and direct sunlight.

6. Follow the doctor's advice and take the medicine promptly.

7. Patients with chronic sinusitis should have confidence and perseverance in treatment, and pay attention to strengthen exercise to strengthen their physique.

8. Tobacco, alcohol and spicy food are strictly prohibited.