Chronic Sinusitis Symptoms

Is It Allergies, a Cold or Sinusitis?

If you are like many patients, you may have misdiagnosed yourself as having allergies or a cold, when you actually have sinusitis. It’s important to see your primary care doctor or an Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) doctor to get a proper diagnosis.

Sinusitis (also called rhinosinusitis) is an inflammation of the sinus lining that prevents normal mucus drainage through the nose. This blockage causes mucus to build up in the sinuses and can lead to very uncomfortable symptoms.

Sinusitis symptoms may include: ⁽¹⁾

• Sinus pressure and congestion
• Sinus Headache
• Facial pain
• Tenderness and swelling around the eyes, cheeks, nose and forehead
• Difficulty breathing through the nose
• Loss of the sense of smell or taste
• Yellow or green mucus from the nose
• Teeth pain
• Fatigue
• Sore throat from nasal discharge
• Bad breath

After listening to your history of symptoms and conducting an exam, your doctor may diagnose you with acute sinusitis, which is a temporary inflammation of the sinus lining that is caused by a bacterial infection and commonly called a sinus infection. For acute sinusitis, your doctor may recommend saline nasal sprays, antibiotics, nasal steroid sprays, decongestants and over-the-counter pain relievers to help relieve the condition.

If your symptoms do not resolve with medication, or if you experience symptoms for longer than 12 weeks, you could have chronic sinusitis.

Chronic sinusitis treatment aims to lessen or eliminate the symptoms caused by inflamed or blocked sinuses. An ENT doctor is qualified to diagnose chronic sinusitis and determine the best sinusitis treatment options for you.

Learn more about sinusitis treatment options used by ENTs.