My Life is Vital™ - Sinusitis Symptoms and Treatment

Cold & Flu Center

Sinusitis Symptoms and Treatment

Vital Healthcare Group

Sinusitis is inflammation of the facial cavities around your nose. The sinus cavities are above your eyes (frontal), behind the nose (sphenoids), on either side of the nose (ethmoid), and beneath the eyes in the cheek area (maxillary).

The sinuses produce mucus, which drains through small openings in the nose. If the sinus cavities get clogged with mucus and the openings are blocked, sinus infection and pain can result.

What causes sinusitis?

When conditions in the nose are healthy, the mucus is pushed out of your nose by cilia. These are tiny hairs that beat or wave rhythmically to carry anything on their surface out of the respiratory tract. When conditions in the nose are not healthy, sinusitis can result.

Sinusitis happens when the cilia slow down or stop working properly. Or sinusitis can occur when there is a blockage, and the stagnant mucus becomes infected.

Some common causes of sinusitis include bacterial infections, cold viruses, allergies, deviated septum, smoke, air pollution, and dry or cold air.

What are symptoms of sinusitis?

Many people suffer with sinusitis year-round. Yet this common health problem is more common during the winter months. Sinusitis may be acute, chronic, or allergic fungal.

Acute sinusitis is usually caused by a bacterial infection or cold virus. It's important to treat acute sinusitis immediately to prevent other more serious problems.

With acute sinusitis, you may have facial pressure, cold symptoms lasting for more than 10 days, green/yellow nasal discharge, a high fever (101 degrees F and above), pain in upper molars, cough, and discolored postnasal drip. Chronic sinusitis feels like an ongoing cold-your nose keeps running and running. It usually happens because the drainage passage from the sinuses to the nose becomes blocked. Chronic sinusitis is most often a chronic inflammatory disorder, similar to chronic bronchitis.

With chronic sinusitis, you may just have a chronic sore throat and cough, particularly when reclining and a decreased sense of smell. Or you may have nasal congestion and a low-grade fever (less than 101 F). Sometimes you may have drainage, sore throat, or a cough that lasts for days to weeks with chronic sinusitis. These annoying symptoms interfere with restful sleep.

What is sinusitis treatment?

Drink plenty of clear liquids. Drink at least 8 glasses of water or clear liquid each day to hydrate the body. Massage your sinuses to bring a fresh blood supply to the area and get soothing relief. Try pressing your thumbs firmly on both sides of your nose and hold for ten to twenty seconds. Don't press too hard on your face or neck as you may damage delicate nerves, resulting in more pain than you had before!

If you know what triggers your sinusitis symptoms, avoid it. There are a host of sinusitis triggers-including allergies to pollen, dust, mold, pet dander, and chemicals that can cause irritation. If you know what triggers sinusitis, avoid it.

Many people get excellent relief by applying warm moist compresses to the sinus area. If you use moist heat, make sure it's not too hot to avoid injury.

Try antacids if heartburn or GERD is a problem. Some people notice thickened mucus, post nasal drip, and other sinus symptoms as a result of GERD. If your sore throat is caused by GERD, work to calm the acid. Sleeping on two pillows or elevating the head of your bed may also reduce the chance of irritation.

When to call the doctor

If your sinus symptoms are acute, ongoing, or worsen, call your doctor for an evaluation. A nasal smear may need to be cultured. Using a microscope, a doctor will view the culture, identify the bacteria, and then your doctor can prescribe the necessary antibiotic to treat it.

If you do have a bacterial sinus infection, the drainage of the pus is usually done in your doctor's office, particularly localized shrinking and suction of pus and mucus. Your doctor may instruct you on how to use saline nasal irrigation at home to continue sinus drainage and prescribe antibiotics and decongestants for continued healing.