Sinuses are air-filled spaces in your skull behind your eyes, nose, and cheekbones. They’re generally problem-free, but a cold or allergies can cause the lining of these cavities to become inflamed.
This can block the normal flow of mucus into your nose and throat, causing sinusitis. Left untreated, this inflammation can spread to your brain or eyes. It may also lead to cavernous sinus thrombosis, a rare but life-threatening condition in which a blood clot forms inside the sinuses.
Pain in the Face
If your face gets tender or throbbing after you get over a cold or other illness, there’s a good chance you have a foods for sinus infection. This is because sinuses become inflamed and blocked with mucus, preventing them from draining normally.
Usually, sinus infections caused by viruses clear up on their own within a few days. But if bacteria are the culprit, symptoms may last longer and need antibiotics.
People with chronic sinusitis (lasting 12 weeks or more) can also have facial pain, pressure, and headaches. In this case, a doctor may do a particular test called sinus computed tomography (CT or CAT scan) to see if there’s any blockage in the nasal cavities or sinuses.
Headache
When sinuses become inflamed and blocked, you may have a headache. This can be caused by either a viral infection or a bacterial infection.
You also may have a stuffy nose, a cloudy or greenish-yellow nasal discharge, facial pain, pressure, or discomfort in your cheeks or forehead. The headaches can last for several days and are often accompanied by fever.
You should see a doctor if you experience repeated symptoms that don’t improve with at-home treatments or if the sinus headaches continue after ten days of over-the-counter medications. A physical examination and nasal endoscopy (a small tube that can look up into your sinuses) can help your doctor diagnose the cause of your sinus infection.
Nasal Congestion
A sinus infection usually develops when mucus trapped in the sinuses becomes a home for viruses, bacteria, or fungi to grow. These germs can irritate the lining of your nose and cause a feeling of congestion or pressure in your face.
Inflammation of the sinuses can be caused by a cold or allergies. The inflammation causes the nasal passages to swell and block airflow.
Medications can also cause nasal congestion. For example, taking certain medicines for high blood pressure or pain can make your nose feel stuffy.
Other causes of nasal congestion include structural issues within the sinuses like polyps, septal deviation, passageways narrowing, tumors, or an extra pocket. In addition, other health conditions, such as cystic fibrosis, a gallbladder disorder called biliary dyskinesia, or HIV, may reduce the movement of mucous.
Nasal Discharge
Sinuses are air-filled spaces in the bones of your head. Usually can become inflamed and blocked healthy, but when you have a cold, and are blocked.
If the lining of a sinus cavity becomes inflamed, it can block the normal flow of mucus and bacteria that usually live there. The swollen tissue can also cause pressure and pain in the area.
The most common sinus infection is caused by a virus, like the cold or flu. This illness usually clears up within a week or two and does not require medical treatment.
Nasal Irritation
Sinuses are air-filled cavities in the skull behind your nose, cheeks, and eyes. When healthy, they are free of germs.
But when your sinuses become blocked, or mucus builds up, bacteria and other germs can begin to grow. This is called sinusitis.
Symptoms of nasal irritation can include a stuffy, runny nose that isn’t going away; yellow or green discharge that drains from your nose and goes down your throat; coughing up green or yellow phlegm; a sore throat; or a fever. It’s essential to see your doctor if you have any of these symptoms.