Top 5 Reasons to Visit an Emergency Room: Sinus Infections
Sinus infections are actually quite common, and the number back this up, as the stats say that some 31 million people in the U.S alone suffer from sinus infections every year. A sinus infection, is a condition that occurs when the mucus membranes in the nose, throat and sinuses swell. Sinus infections are due to a number of different causes such as viral infections especially during flu season, bacterial infections as well as fungal infections. Folks with allergies, a deviated nasal septum, a tooth infection, nasal polyps or tumors are also at an increased risk of suffering from a nasal infection. Although infections are usually quite painful and uncomfortable as they involve the swelling of nasal passages, leading to facial pain as well, in most cases it is usually nothing to worry about and can be handled by home remedies such as rest as well as over-the-counter medication. However, there are instances where the sinus infection is a much more serious issue and needs an immediate visit to an emergency room, with FrontlineER.com being the best facility out there for you to visit. It is therefore important to know when a sinus infection requires a visit to an emergency room and as such this article should be of great help as it will look to pinpoint the top 5 reasons that should ensure you do just that.
One of the key reason that should ensure you visit an emergency room as soon possible for a sinus infection is if it is accompanied by high fever. As we all know, and as is covered in detail over at the ever reliable FrontlineER.com, having a fever during an infection, such as a sinus infection, is quite normal, and it is in fact not only expected but it is a good sign as well as it shows your body is fighting against the infection. However, if the elevated temperature goes over the 100.5 degrees’ Fahrenheit mark, it stops being normal as this indicates high fever, which should always be taken seriously since when body temperatures each such levels, it usually shows that the infection may have spread to others of the body, something that needs to be attended to as soon as possible.
If you are experiencing sinus pain, an indicator that you may have a sinus infection, and you are also having breathing difficulties, then you should also ensure that you head over to the emergency room as soon as possible to be attended to. While sinus infections mean that breathing may not be as smooth as normal, if the problems reach a level where you are unable to breath or are struggling badly, then you should head over to an emergency room as soon as you can to prevent asphyxiation from ensuing. Breathing problems should always be treated with the utmost seriousness regardless of the condition, with sinus infections being no exception.
In most cases, as it is revealed in discussions over at FrontlineER.com, sinus infections clear up anytime between a couple of days to a week. However, if your sinus infection lasts for long, that is for four weeks or longer, even after medication and home remedies, then this could be a sign of one having a chronic sinus infection, and as such should ensure they head over to an emergency room as soon as possible to be attended to. A chronic sinus infection should be taken seriously as a chronic condition usually indicates that there is a bigger, more serious underlying problem that may be causing the infection that requires investigating to get to the bottom of it. It is also important to note that having a constant infection opens the door for other infections to develop and as such chronic sinus infections should be treated seriously.
Another top reason that should lead to an emergency room visit as far as sinus infections are concerned is if you experiencing sinus pain as well as the following red flags: intense sweating and severe chills, neck pain abdominal pain as well as severe diarrhea and nausea. These symptoms as far as sinus infections are concerned should always be taken very seriously and should lead to an immediate visit to an emergency room. The same should apply to instances where sinus pain is accompanied by seizures, which should always be taken seriously as well as sinus pain accompanied by an unknown and unexplained rash. In all these scenarios, a visit to an emergency room should always be the next step taken.
Another top reason that should lead to one visiting an emergency room for a sinus infection, as per the subject matter experts over at FrontlineER.com, is if you are experiencing severe pain due to the same. Pain and discomfort comes with the territory as far as sinus infections go, but if the pain is unbearable and severe, you should head over to an emergency room as soon as you can to be assessed. Keep an eye out for pain in the eyes, throat, head or ears as this is indicative of a serious sinus infection, and should be treated as one. Such a sinus infection can spread to the eyes or ears to cause an eye or ear infection respectively or can even spread to the brain’s lining leading to meningitis, which is very dangerous and life-threatening. Therefore, severe pain as far as sinus infections go should always lead to a visit to an emergency room.
The above are 5 of the top reasons that should be taken seriously and if you are presenting with any of them, ensure you head over to an emergency room for immediate medical attention, with FrontlineER.com being one of the best options out there.
