KAIRERE Shamim did not know that she had Sinusitis until she travelled by herself to the hilly area of Muhanga where her grandparents lived.

After the usual warm welcome and a heavy meal, Shamim went to bed as it was approaching midnight.

As the weather became colder, Kairere started to wheeze. She felt short of breath, her nose began to run profusely and her loud sneezing echoed through the house.

Kairere was just experiencing her first full-blown attack of Sinusitis.

Although she had occasionally complained about blockages and congestion in her nose on cold nights while living with her mother in the city, it had never been this bad.

Her mother had always assured her that it was just minor flu which would go away even without medication.

Indeed Sinusitis as a disease does not always receive the right attention because many people treat it casually as they would for a common cold, only for it to develop into a major health problem.

What is Sinusitis?

Commonly and wrongly referred to as ‘sinus’ by most people, Sinusitis is a condition that affects the sinuses. Sinuses are small air spaces between the bones of the face.

According to Dr. Peter Nacwera, a medical practitioner at Kakira Hospital in Uganda, "Sinusitis is an inflammation, or swelling, of the tissue lining the sinuses. This happens as an anomaly, causing these spaces to become blocked and filled with fluid. In most cases, bacteria, viruses, and fungi grow and cause an infection.”

While people don’t take this disease seriously, the scourge cannot be neglected as a study by the United States in 2002, for chronic sinusitis in Rwanda indicated that it is prevalent in 1,057,094 individuals in a population of 8,238,673.

The causes of sinusitis are said to be allergens like pollen, fumes. These may cause inflammation of the sinuses.

Infections of the upper respiratory system such as common cold sometimes trigger the onset of sinusitis says Dr Jean Olivier Twahirwa, a general practitioner at Kibagaga district hospital.

Once you have sinusitis, you are likely to experience a runny, stuffy nose and facial that does not go away after 10 to 14 days. This is referred to as acute sinusitis while chronic sinusitis is characterized by sinus inflammation symptoms that last for eight weeks or longer, adds Dr. Twahirwa.

However, there are factors that increase the risk of having sinuses like people with nasal mucous membranes that swell during common cold, after an attack of flu which cause blockage of drainage ducts.

Dr Daniel Nyamwasa, a specialist in infectious diseases and director of Kacyiru Police Hospital, says neglected flu comes with a lot of complications which include susceptibility to sinusitis, lung infections and cough among others.

You are likely to be a victim of sinusitis if your immune system is weakened by other infections.

In young children, allergies, illness from other children at day care or school, sharing bottles, and smoke in a common environment are contributing factor towards sinusitis.

Sinusitis and allergies

A review in 2012 by Harvard Medical School shows that allergies, asthma, and sinusitis often overlap. Seasonal allergic rhinitis (runny nose) and other allergies that cause mucus blockage may predispose people to develop sinusitis.

Most symptoms observed in people with chronic sinusitis are similar to those that appear in allergic rhinitis, suggesting that in some people sinusitis is due to an allergic response.

Asthma is also strongly associated with sinusitis and many people have both conditions. Some studies suggest that sinusitis may worsen asthma symptoms.

Sinusitis is linked with disorders that weaken the immune system or produce inflammation in the airways. Some of these conditions include diabetes and AIDS.

Prevention of sinuses and its associated symptoms

Dr Nyamwasa explains that, "There is need to maintain proper hygiene and sanitation. Common colds and flu are the lead cause of viral sinuses. It is therefore important to ensure proper hygiene and sanitation to prevent the spread of flu. "

"This is through washing hands after contact, using disinfectants. Common habits of shaking hands should be avoided as these spread the most infectious diseases. Waving can just do fine. However, it is advisable that people who cough and sneeze should cover their mouths using barriers. Masks should be used by people who deal directly with patients,” adds Nyamwasa.

Dr. Twahirwa adds that since allergens and chemicals trigger sinusitis, people experiencing the problem should avoid the chemicals.

In situations of infections of the upper respiratory tract, treatment should be sought as early as possible.

In cold weather, people should seek warm covering to prevent triggering sinusitis.

Dr Nyamwasa says: "All diseases can kill, but it important to treat every infection with respect much as they appear minor. No one ever thought that mere flu could claim over 31million people in 1920 but it did.”