It is actually a normal occurrence for bouts of illnesses of stress to cause your menstrual cycle to become irregular or abnormal. While this does not happen all the time, it can occur. If you have a sinus infection and you period is irregular, see your physician to rule out any other medical conditions.
Sinus Infection
Sinusitis is the inflammation of the sinuses derived from a viral, fungal and bacterial infection. Your sinuses--located in your skull--are spaces filled with air lined with mucus membranes. When these sinuses are healthy, they will have no traces of germs. However, when they become blocked, mucus starts to build up creating a perfect breeding ground for bacteria. This inflammation is normally caused by colds and allergies. The period of illness associated with sinusitis is anywhere from two weeks to several months.
Irregular Menstrual Cycle
The average menstrual cycle is 28-days long, but it can last anywhere from 21 to 45 days. Irregular menstrual cycles can be shorter or longer than usual. A woman’s cycle can be irregular in several ways. One commonly known period problem is called amenorrhea; this is the lack of a menstrual period. You would be diagnosed with this if you have not had a menstrual period in 90 days. Another condition is called dysmenorrhea. This is an extremely painful period. The last is called abnormal uterine bleeding, which is bleeding between periods, bleeding after sex, spotting, heavy bleeding and bleeding for more days than usual.
Cause
Suffering from sinusitis in some cases can cause you menstrual period to become irregular, either by delaying it, or by causing it to come too frequently. No studies exist to explain exactly why illnesses like sinusitis affect the menstrual cycles regularity, but the effects of the illness cause a shift in the hormones that control it. This hormonal shift is what causes the menstrual cycle's disruption.
Diagnosis
In order to see if your sinusitis is connected to your abnormal cycle, you would have to be diagnosed with the sinusitis first, and secondly the cause of your abnormal cycle would need to be diagnosed. For your sinusitis to be diagnosed, your doctor will look for inflamed polyps in your nose by shining a small lighted instrument into your nostrils. He also may tap over your sinuses to find the infection as well. In rare cases, he may need to perform an X-ray of your sinuses. Your abnormal menstrual cycle will be checked by way of blood tests used to check hormone levels, and to rule out other medical conditions that could cause its abnormality.
Treatment
Sinusitis is treated by applying a warm, wet cloth over the face several times a day, drinking plenty of liquids, inhaling steam and using a nasal saline solution a few times daily. If these treatments are not successful, you may have to take medications to clear up the infection that’s causing it. As for the menstrual cycle, your physician may prescribe you oral contraceptives to regulate it.
References
Writer Bio
April Khan is a medical journalist who began writing in 2005. She has contributed to publications such as "BBC Focus." In 2012, Khan received her Doctor of Public Health from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. She also holds an Associate of Arts from the Art Institute of Dallas and a Master of Science in international health from University College London.