Self Care Articles

Is this your symptom?

• Fullness, pressure or pain on the face over a sinus (above the eyebrow, behind the eye, and under the cheekbone)
• Other common symptoms can be a blocked nose, runny nose, or postnasal drip

Symptoms

• The pain or pressure is often just on one side of the face. The pain can throb and often feels worse when bending forward.
• Swelling around just one eye.
• A stuffy or blocked nose or runny nose. You may also have a mucus drip down the back of the throat. This is called a postnasal drip.
• Headache
• Toothache
• Blood in mucus from the nose
• Less common symptoms are bad breath or mouth breathing. Also, may have a sore throat and throat clearing from postnasal drip.
• Your sense of taste may be off
• Feeling of pressure in the ears
• Cough

Causes of Sinus Congestion

Acute sinusitis. The infection comes on quickly (over a few days) and often gets better over 2-3 weeks. It can last longer. Most cases are mild and get better quickly. Some people get recurrent bouts of acute sinusitis. Causes are:

• Viral Sinus Infection. Part of the common cold. A cold infects the lining of the nose. It also involves the lining of all the sinuses.
• Bacterial Sinus Infection. A problem when the sinus becomes infected with bacteria. Occurs with 5% of colds. It starts after having a viral sinus infection. The main symptoms are increased sinus pain or return of fever. The skin around the eyelids or cheeks may become red or swollen. Thick nasal secretions that last more than 14 days may point to a sinus infection.
• Dental Infection. This can spread to the sinuses from an infected tooth. Treatment will be needed for both the dental infection and sinus infection.
• Problems that can make acute sinusitis more likely:
  • Allergic Sinus Reaction. Sinus congestion often occurs with nasal allergies (such as from pollen). Sneezing, itchy nose and clear nasal discharge point to this cause.
  • Growths or polyps can block sinus drainage and make it more likely to become infected.
  • Previous surgery or injury to the nose or face can also change the sinus so it becomes blocked more easily.
  • Other health problems. People with asthma, cystic fibrosis and a weakened immune system are more likely to develop acute sinusitis, as are pregnant women.
  • Smoking

Chronic Sinusitis. This is when sinusitis lasts for 12 weeks or more. You may need diagnostic tests to find out why the congestion and/or infection are not clearing.

Treatment of Sinus Congestion

• Viral Sinus Infection. Nasal washes with saline. Antibiotics are not helpful.
• Bacterial Sinus Infection. Antibiotics by mouth.
• Allergic Sinus Reaction. Treat the nasal allergy with allergy medicines. This often helps the sinus symptoms, too.
• Thick Nasal Drainage. Nasal secretions need treatment with nasal saline when they block the nose. Also, treat if they make it hard to breathe through the nose. If breathing is noisy, it may mean the dried mucus is farther back. Nasal saline rinses can remove it.
• Blocked Sinuses. If the sinuses are blocked due to a growth or previous surgery/injury, a surgery may be needed to open up the sinus so it will drain freely.

Color of Nasal Discharge with Colds

• The nasal discharge changes color during different stages of a cold. This is normal.
• It starts as a clear discharge and later becomes cloudy.
• Sometimes it becomes yellow or green colored for a few days. This is still normal.
• Colored discharge is common after sleep, with allergy medicines or with low humidity. Reason: all of these events decrease the amount of normal nasal secretions.

Bacterial Sinus Infections: When to Suspect

• Yellow or green nasal discharge is seen with both viral and bacterial sinus infections. Suspect a bacterial infection if the discharge becomes thick (like pus). But, it also needs one or more of these symptoms:
  • Sinus pain, not just normal sinus congestion. Pain occurs mainly behind the cheekbone or eye or
  • Swelling or redness of the skin over any sinus or
  • Fever lasts more than 3 days or
  • Fever returns after it's been gone for over 24 hours or
  • Nasal discharge and post-nasal drip lasts more than 14 days without getting better