I've had a cold for a while now and my nose is so stuffed up. Everytime I blow my nose the boggers never end. What makes boogers?
http://yourmedicalsource.com/library/endosinus/ESS_sinuses.html About The Sinuses The sinuses are spaces filled with air in some of the bones of the skull. Air passes in and out of these spaces, and mucus drains through them and out of the nose. They also reduce the weight of the skull and give our voices a nicer sound. There are four main pairs of sinus openings, sometimes called sinus cavities, in the face: Maxillary - in the cheekbones Ethmoid - between the eye sockets Frontal - in the forehead and above the eyebrows Sphenoid - deep in the head at the back of the nose Each of these pairs of sinus openings has a channel that leads to the nose. These channels are quite narrow, and when the lining of the channels becomes swollen, blockage results. This lining is called the mucous membrane. This same mucous membrane forms the inner lining of the nose. The mucous membrane in the nose and sinuses is our personal air conditioner. It warms, moistens, and cleans the air. The mucous membrane creates a clear, wet, slightly sticky mucus that gathers any dust, smoke, bacteria, or virus particles that may have been in the air. Tiny hairs along the membrane called cilia act as tiny oars, moving the mucus along much like a conveyor belt through the sinuses and out the nose. When the mucus containing the unwanted particles reaches the nose and throat, the body prompts us to swallow, spit, sneeze, or cough it out of the body. When a cold or allergy prevents the cilia from moving the mucus through, the nose becomes blocked. The mucous membrane is also one of the body's front-line defense systems. It releases chemicals that help to destroy bacteria and viruses before they can attack. If a virus, bacteria, allergen or other irritant is strong enough to prevent the mucous membrane and cilia from doing their job, blockages can occur in any of the pairs of sinus openings. Endoscopic sinus surgery can correct chronic or severe blockages in one or more of the maxillary, ethmoid, frontal, or sphenoid sinuses. What Causes Sinusitis? The potential causes of sinusitis include: Virus Bacteria Fungus Allergies Asthma Poor air quality Extremes of temperature and humidity Dehydration Excessive nose blowing Foreign objects placed in the nose Stress Diseased teeth Hormonal imbalances Medication side effects Low immune system Deviated septum Small sinus openings Polyps Tumors Most cases of sinusitis can be easily treated by a family doctor. However, in those cases where the sufferer has chronic sinusitis or repeated attacks of acute sinusitis that have not responded to medication, endoscopic sinus surgery may be the answer. This is especially true in the case of nasal obstructions such as polyps. There are two types of sinusitis: Acute sinusitis means that the symptoms of the condition are temporary, usually lasting no more than 30 days. However, the symptoms of acute sinusitis are more severe and painful than the symptoms of chronic sinusitis. Chronic sinusitis means that the symptoms of sinusitis occur frequently or for long periods of time. The symptoms are usually more annoying than painful. However, those with chronic sinusitis are more likely to have recurring attacks of acute sinusitis, which can be quite painful. What Are The Symptoms Of Sinusitis? Symptoms of sinusitis vary from person to person. The most common symptoms are: Stuffy or runny nose Clear, thin discharge from the nose (as in chronic sinusitis), or thick yellow or green discharge from the nose, sometimes tinged with blood (as in acute sinusitis) Sneezing and/or coughing Pain over the bridge of the nose Headache that is worse in the morning, when bending forward, or when riding an elevator Post-nasal drip from the nose into the throat Frequent throat clearing Itchy eyes and/or nose Impaired sense of smell and/or taste Bad breath Fever and chills Pain in the roof of the mouth or teeth Face and eye pain Less common symptoms, which may or may not be accompanied by a stuffy nose, are: Earache, feeling of fullness in the ear, swelling, and tenderness behind the ear, and/or ear popping due to mucus in the eustachian tube of the ear Sore throat and hoarse voice caused by infected post-nasal drip Swelling of the eye area due to spread of infection from the sinuses to the eye Severe headache with vomiting, a very rare symptom, indicates the possibility of meningitis or the spread of infection into the brain.
Just a quick vent...and a question for Duncan. Well, I *love* my sinuses...NOT. I got an infection right now...my ears are all plugged up...lol. My doctor says I should come in sonner next, more like after 10-14 days of symptoms, instead of waiting a month. Hmm...two questions for Duncan, I guess...1) How is Asthma a cuase for sinus infections? 2) My doc put me on Amoxicillin, 500 MG, 3X a day, for 10 days, and told me to call him in a few days if things weren't clearing up. So I waited a week, then I called Wednesday, and he switched me to Augmentin, 875 MG, 2X a day, for 10 days. A few years ago, a lady put me on Amoxicillin for 3 weeks...have I become immune to it? Is that why it didn't really do anyhting about this infection? Or did I just wait too long to go see my doctor? I mean, next time I have an issue, should I just have them start out w/ Augmentin, instead of Amoxicillin? Can they put a note about that in my chart? Thanks!
Contrary to popular belief, your body does not become immune to antibiotics. The reason is simple, antibiotics do not kill your body, they kill bacteria. Amoxicillin is still a very effective antibiotic, but, primarly due to overprescribing and non-compliance, many bacteria have become resistant to it. Your doctor is right to try amoxicillin first, to try and maintain the effectiveness of other, more potent antibiotics. Augmentin is amoxicillin, with potassium clavulanate. Potassium clavulanate is a beta-lactam inhibitor. It makes bacteria that are resistant to amoxicillan less resitant. You should discuss this with your doctor, though, if it is a recurring trend for you. While you are not immune to amoxicillin, the bacteria that you frequently encounter may be.
Very wise advice. You should also not seek personalized medical attention in/on a forum. BTW - Once I post, I almost NEVER go back to it. So if you expect me to ever respond, you should ask me a question directly. I also don't like the fact that some users choose a thread for them to publicly send messages back and forth. It's my own opinion.
