Complications of Bacterial Infection in the Sinuses

Bacterial sinusitis is generally considered harmless, although it causes great discomfort and is often very painful. When the episode becomes severe, antibiotics generally eliminate further problems.

In rare cases bacterial sinusitis can be very serious.

Osteomyelitis
Adolescent males with acute frontal sinusitis are at particular risk for severe problems. One important complication is infection of the bones or Osteomyelitis of the forehead. The patient usually experiences headache, fever, and a soft swelling over the bone known as Pott's puffy tumor.

Infection of the Eye Socket
Infection of the eye socket, or orbital infection, which causes swelling and subsequent drooping of the eyelid, is a rare but serious complication of ethmoid sinusitis.

The patient loses movement in the eye, and pressure on the optic nerve can lead to vision loss, which could sometimes be permanent. Fever and severe illness are usually present.

Blood Clot
Resulting from ethmoid or frontal sinusitis, a blood clot forms in the sinus area around the front and top of the face. The symptoms are similar to orbital infection.

The pupil may be fixed and dilated. Though the symptoms usually begin on one side of the head, the process usually spreads to both sides.

Ischemic Stroke
A study has found a link between ischemic stroke and sinusitis.

Widespread Infection
The spread of infection by anaerobic bacteria to the brain, either through the bones or blood vessels. It is a dangerous complication of sinusitis, particularly frontal and sphenoid sinusitis.

Abscesses, meningitis, and other life-threatening conditions may result. In such cases, the patient may experience mild personality changes, headache, altered consciousness, visual problems, and, finally, seizures, coma, and death.