During pregnancy, the woman’s immune system is greatly weakened, she is more susceptible to colds, a frequent consequence of which is sinusitis (inflammation in the sinuses). Treatment of sinusitis during pregnancy should be safe and complete, and most importantly, effective. When the first symptoms of the disease occur, you can not hesitate, since nasal congestion and the presence of pus can adversely affect the baby's health.
Causes of the disease
Sinusitis during pregnancy is usually a complication that arose when a viral infection started. The pregnant woman, fearing for the baby’s health, did not sufficiently intensively and well treat the common cold, did not use all the medications prescribed by the doctor, neglected alternative methods, and as a result a complication developed.
Due to nasal congestion and prolonged runny nose, the natural outflow of mucus is disrupted, the sinuses are inflamed, plus a bacterial infection is added. In pregnant women, among all types of sinusitis, sinusitis is most common - inflammation of the maxillary sinuses and frontal sinusitis is an inflammation of the frontal sinuses.
The likelihood of sinusitis is higher if:
- Adenoids or polyps have grown.
- Rough septum of the nose.
- There were injuries to the face.
- There is an allergic rhinitis.
- Carious lesions of the teeth.
- Woman incorrectly blows her nose.
- There is an immunodeficiency.
- Congenital deformities of the nasal passages.
It should be noted that sinusitis during pregnancy can develop for the first time due to hormonal changes in the body. It is during this period that a woman is susceptible to various respiratory diseases.
Symptoms
You can understand that a cold develops into sinusitis by the following signs:
- If a runny nose does not go away after a week.
- Discharge from the nose is plentiful, transparent. With a bacterial infection, pus appears in the mucus, and it acquires a greenish color, has an unpleasant odor.
- If pain occurs: between the eyebrows - frontal sinus, near the wings of the nose - sinusitis. In this case, the pain intensifies when the body is tilted and when chewing.
- There is a high fever.
- Feeling of fatigue, fatigue, drowsiness.
- Nasal congestion does not go away after 5 days.
- Odor is not perceived.
- Nasal voice, stuffy ears.
- A painful cough at night.
Sinusitis during pregnancy can occur as a result of allergic rhinitis, it is characterized by liquid discharge from the nose, lacrimation, frequent sneezing, severe itching in the nose.
You should know that acute inflammation has pronounced symptoms, while a chronic disease is characterized by an erased clinical picture.
What is dangerous sinusitis for the mother
Purulent inflammation is dangerous for both the mother and the child.
If sinusitis is not treated during pregnancy, its consequences can be the most unpredictable - the infection can spread to the lining of the brain, to the bone, to the eyes. This can trigger the development of sepsis, abscesses in the brain, eye damage, osteomyelitis.
Chronic sinusitis is dangerous due to the development of myocarditis, inflammation of the renal pelvis.
Inflammation in the maxillary sinuses can trigger the development of dental diseases, inflammation of the trigeminal nerve, which is characterized by severe facial pain.
What is dangerous sinusitis for a child
Sinusitis during pregnancy adversely affects the development of the baby. The disease is most dangerous in the first trimester, when the child is not yet completely protected by the placenta. Inflammation in the maxillary sinuses during this period can cause the development of congenital pathologies in the baby or lead to an abortion. The treatment of sinusitis during pregnancy in the early stages is difficult, since many medicines are prohibited during this period.
A transferred disease in the middle of pregnancy can lead to neurological disorders in the baby. Treatment of sinusitis during pregnancy in the 2nd trimester must be started in a timely manner, and then the danger can be prevented.
The occurrence of sinusitis at the end of pregnancy can lead to premature birth or weakening of labor. When treating sinusitis during pregnancy in the 3rd trimester, doctors use the medication method, homeopathic medicines, and alternative therapy methods.
In addition, the difficulty in nasal breathing of the mother leads to fetal oxygen deficiency, which affects its developmental rate and can cause changes in the brain.
Which doctor should I contact for help
If rhinitis continues for more than a week, and the symptoms of sinusitis have joined it, you should never postpone the visit to the doctor. Urgently consult an otolaryngologist. The doctor will certainly consult with a gynecologist who is pregnant and prescribe the optimal course of treatment.
In some situations, other doctors are also involved to combat sinusitis during pregnancy. For example, a dentist will treat caries, an allergist will treat allergies if sinusitis occurs as a result of allergic rhinitis.
Diagnostics
The doctor examines the patient, based on complaints and symptoms, he will schedule an examination, which includes the following procedures:
- Blood donation.
- Taking a smear from the nasal passages.
- X-ray But until the 12th week of pregnancy, this diagnostic method is not carried out.
- Rhinoscopy of the posterior and anterior type - the method will determine the type of sinusitis. This is a survey method using a metal device - a rhinoscope. It is absolutely harmless and has no contraindications. It is carried out by the otolaryngologist in the office.
How and how to treat sinusitis during pregnancy?
Therapy can only be carried out under the supervision of a physician. If symptoms of acute sinusitis are observed during pregnancy, the temperature is high, then you need to observe bed rest, drink plenty of fluids.
As a rule, the following medications can be used for pregnant women (be sure to check with the gynecologist, because each body can respond to medications differently):
- To reduce the temperature, eliminate headaches - "Paracetamol".
- To wash the nose and moisturize, relieve swelling, ease breathing, fight the virus, and fight against allergies - saline solutions: Quix, Salin, Aquamaris.
- To eliminate nasal congestion, restore breathing - vasoconstrictor drops in the nose “Galazolin”, “Xylometazolin”, “Fornos” (course duration no more than 3 days).
- To relieve edema, provide an antiviral effect, restore free breathing, the homeopathic medicine Sinupret is prescribed.
- If you need to fight the causative agent of the infection, the doctor prescribes antibiotics. In case of sinusitis during pregnancy, it is considered optimal to use a local preparation in the form of a drop in the nose “Bioparox” or “Isofra”.
- To dilute thick purulent mucus and its free passage, to eliminate nasal congestion, doctors prescribe Rinofluimucil, Mukaltin, Bromhexine, Ambroxol spray.
- To eliminate allergic reactions, Loratadin, Suprastin are prescribed.
If the disease does not go away, antibiotics are completely contraindicated, they carry out a method such as sinus puncture through the skin and drug administration.
Treatment regimen
It is quite difficult to treat sinusitis during pregnancy, since many drugs are contraindicated, and those that are allowed may not have the expected result. The following treatment regimen is considered quite effective:
- If body temperature is high, paracetamol should be taken.
- Every three hours, you need to rinse your nose with saline solutions, tinctures of chamomile, calendula, sage.
- Only in extreme cases, vasoconstrictor drugs can be used, best of all at night, and they can be used for no more than 3 days.
- Apply mucolytic agents.
- If antibiotics are prescribed, they should be taken strictly according to the doctor’s recommendations and under his supervision.
- Observe pastel mode for about 5 days.
- To comply with the drinking regime, water helps to remove all harmful substances from the body and will not allow the occurrence of dehydration at high temperature.
- Follow a special diet, the diet should include meat and fish, stewed vegetables, fruits, dairy products, soups, cereals. From drinks should drink fruit drinks, compotes, tea with lemon, honey, raspberries.
Folk methods
Alternative methods of treating sinusitis during pregnancy should be discussed with a doctor, and only then can they be used. Since it would seem that harmless herbs and decoctions can provoke uterine tone, premature birth and other negative consequences.
In the treatment of sinusitis, as a rule, chamomile broth, salt-soda-iodine solution, sea salt solution are used for washing.
To liquefy and facilitate the withdrawal of mucus, carrot, onion, beetroot juice is instilled.
At the first signs of sinusitis, you need to contact your doctor and treat the disease from the first days.
Sinusitis Prevention
It is easier to prevent sinusitis than to treat for a long time. The basic principle of disease prevention is the correct and timely treatment of an infectious disease. It is necessary to regularly wash your nose from viruses, allergens, and avoid hypothermia. In a period of epidemic of viruses and colds, it is better to avoid public places.
At the first sign of a cold, you should immediately consult a doctor. He will diagnose and select the optimal course of treatment.
During treatment:
- You can not prescribe medications yourself or replace the medicines prescribed by your doctor with analogues.
- If swelling of the mucous membrane should be washed with saline nose as often as possible.
- To create optimal conditions in a living room, a temperature of 20 ºC and a humidity of 75% are considered favorable.
- Perform regular wet cleaning indoors.
- Ventilate the bedroom regularly.
- Strengthen the immune system.
- Organize a balanced diet.
After treatment, a pregnant woman must observe the following preventive measures:
- Walk more often.
- Ventilate and moisten the living room.
- Exclude contact with sick people.
- Strengthen the immune system.
- Do exercises every day.
- Take vitamin complexes for pregnant women.
- Take a contrast shower.
Reviews
Reviews about sinusitis during pregnancy are always negative. Many women complain of headaches, severe nasal congestion, which does not go away for a long time and interferes with a full rest and lead a normal lifestyle. After taking antibiotics, their condition improved significantly. It should be noted that the opinion of doctors about antibiotic therapy during pregnancy is ambiguous. Some consider this treatment method unacceptable, others are of the opinion that the harm from sinusitis to the body of a woman and a child is more dangerous than the use of a medication, especially of local importance.
Some women report problems with bearing a baby that developed after sinusitis. They note that they began to experience fatigue, drowsiness, and a breakdown.
Most pregnant women were afraid to take medication during a respiratory illness, leading to a sinusitis complication. These women are advised to always adhere to the treatment regimen that the doctor selected.
Instead of a conclusion
Do not start the disease or let it go by itself. The fight against colds is, of course, unpleasant, but the right approach to it, regular preventive measures, stimulation of immunity - all this ensures that sinusitis does not bother during pregnancy and does not cause a lot of trouble.
Pregnancy is a responsible state of a woman; it requires a reverent and careful attitude to her body. Before starting any treatment, you must definitely consult a good doctor.
Attentive attitude to yourself and your health, timely contact with specialists will allow a woman to enjoy pregnancy, and not waste her strength, nerves and money on the treatment of diseases.