Sphenoiditis - Symptoms and Treatment

Sphenoiditis is an inflammatory disease of the mucosa of the sphenoid sinus. It is located deep in the base of the skull, next to the optic nerves, pituitary gland and carotid arteries. As clinical practice shows, when symptoms of sphenoiditis appear, it is urgent to start treatment and prevent the spread of inflammation. Due to its very close location with important anatomical structures, this disease can lead to life-threatening complications.

Symptoms of sphenoiditis

The main symptoms of sphenoiditis are:

• headaches (as a rule, they are localized in the occipital region);
• mucous, purulent or purulent-mucous discharge from the nose (they are always abundant);
• violation of the sense of smell (in patients there is always an unpleasant smell of rot);
• significant increase in body temperature;
• severe fatigue.

Chronic sphenoiditis occurs without a clear symptomatology. Most often, the patient manifests aching or dull pain in the occipital region. In rare cases, there is a feeling of discomfort in the nasopharynx and a taste of rot in the mouth.

Treatment of sphenoiditis

Treatment of patients with symptoms of sphenoiditis is carried out at home, and hospitalization is carried out only if the inflammatory process passes to different parts of the brain. The patient must be prescribed antibiotics:

• Amoxicillin;
• Cephaloridine;
• Cefazolin ;
• Roxithromycin.

The use of vasoconstrictive drops is also indicated. It can be such preparations, as:

• Dimetinden;
• Naphasoln;
• Oxymetazoline.

To conduct treatment of sphenoiditis without surgery, you should also resort to physiotherapy procedures. It is best to cope with this disease:

• UHF procedures;
• electrophoresis with medicinal solutions;
• magnetotherapy.

Treatment of a prolonged stage of sphenoiditis is strictly prohibited at home, as this can lead to development of meningitis, optic neuritis and brain abscess. It is necessary to conduct sounding in a hospital. With the help of endoscopes, the contents of the sphenoid sinus are pumped out and any aseptic fluids are introduced into its cavity. After probing, the patient should be monitored for 1-2 days.

Surgical treatment of sphenoiditis in chronic form is aimed at creating a wide drainage hole. Usually after this, the inflammatory process is eliminated. If there are polyps, granulations, detritus and areas of necrotic bone in the sinus, they are removed.