Sinusitis

Sinusitis is inflammation of the sinuses — the air-filled spaces around the nose — most often triggered by a viral cold that doesn't fully resolve, though allergies and structural issues can also be a factor.

Symptoms of Sinusitis

Key symptoms include facial pain or pressure (especially around the cheeks, eyes, or forehead), thick yellow or green nasal discharge, nasal congestion, reduced sense of smell, and sometimes a cough that's worse at night. What often distinguishes it from a simple cold is a "double worsening" pattern — improving, then getting worse again — or symptoms lasting beyond ten days.

Acute vs. Chronic

Acute sinusitis lasts less than four weeks and is usually viral, resolving with supportive care. Chronic sinusitis lasts twelve weeks or longer despite treatment attempts and often needs evaluation by an ENT specialist to identify an underlying cause, such as nasal polyps or a deviated septum.

Treatment

Saline nasal rinses, steam inhalation, staying hydrated, and over-the-counter pain relievers or decongestants ease most acute cases. Antibiotics are only helpful for bacterial sinusitis, which is suggested by symptoms lasting more than ten days without improvement, severe symptoms, or the double-worsening pattern — a doctor's assessment, not self-diagnosis, should guide this decision.

When to See a Doctor

See a doctor for symptoms lasting more than ten days, severe facial pain, high fever, vision changes, or confusion — the last two are rare but can signal a serious complication needing urgent care.