Earlier this week, we gave you a hypothetical patient with the following case:
This week's hypothetical patient is a 22-year-old college student. She scheduled an appointment at her university's health center because she has been experiencing what she thought was just a cold for a whole week and a half and she hasn't started feeling any better despite taking over-the-counter cough medicine. She has a persistent headache that has become increasingly painful in the last few days. She has had a runny, stuffy nose and a cough for about a week. She is experiencing intense sinus pressure behind her cheeks and eyes and has felt tired and drained from being sick. She is also dealing with postnasal drip that appears green when she is able to cough it up. She finally decided to see her physician when she developed a fever. Following an examination, her doctor prescribes a decongestant and fluticasone. He tells her to get lots of fluids and rest and that she can take Tylenol as needed to help relieve her pain. He also recommends that she use a humidifier in her dorm room.
This week's hypothetical patient is a 22-year-old college student. She scheduled an appointment at her university's health center because she has been experiencing what she thought was just a cold for a whole week and a half and she hasn't started feeling any better despite taking over-the-counter cough medicine. She has a persistent headache that has become increasingly painful in the last few days. She has had a runny, stuffy nose and a cough for about a week. She is experiencing intense sinus pressure behind her cheeks and eyes and has felt tired and drained from being sick. She is also dealing with postnasal drip that appears green when she is able to cough it up. She finally decided to see her physician when she developed a fever. Following an examination, her doctor prescribes a decongestant and fluticasone. He tells her to get lots of fluids and rest and that she can take Tylenol as needed to help relieve her pain. He also recommends that she use a humidifier in her dorm room.Today, we reveal that our hypothetical patient was diagnosed as having:
A Viral Sinus Infection
The patient has all of the classic symptoms of a sinus infection. Sinus infections may be caused by bacteria, viruses, or even allergies. Physicians often examine the inside of their patients' noses to look for signs of inflammation in suspected cases of sinus infections. These infections are most commonly caused by a virus and will resolve with a little bit of help from drugs that can calm sinus inflammation (for example, fluticasone or other nasal sprays). The patient was given a decongestant and told she could take Tylenol to relieve her pain while her body worked to fight off the infection. Keeping the sinuses moist by using a humidifier can also help with pain relief and speed healing. Getting enough fluids and rest are also important for helping the body's immune system do its job.
Thanks for joining us for this week's Mystery Case and we hope to see you next week!
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