Sinus Infection

Time to see a doctor
Schedule a consultation with our healthcare providers if you experience:
- Cold or allergy symptoms that don’t improve within 14 days
- Fever (low-grade)
- Cough that lasts longer than 10 days
- Coughing up mucus that may be yellow or green
- Thick, dark mucus coming from the nose
- Feeling run-down or tired
If your symptoms persist
Sinusitis is a condition that can cause a stuffy nose, pain in the face, and discharge (mucus) from the nose. The sinuses are hollow areas in the bones of the face. They have a thin lining that normally makes a small amount of mucus. When this lining gets irritated or infected, it swells and makes extra mucus. This causes symptoms.
Sinusitis can occur when a person gets sick with a cold. The germs causing the cold can also infect the sinuses. Many times, a person feels like his or her cold is getting better. But then he or she gets sinusitis and begins to feel sick again.
SYMPTOMS
Common symptoms of sinusitis include:
- Stuffy or blocked nose
- Thick white, yellow, or green discharge from the nose
- Pain in the teeth
- Pain or pressure in the face – This often feels worse when a person bends forward.
- People with sinusitis can also have other symptoms that include:
- Fever
- Cough
- Trouble smelling
- Ear pressure or fullness
- Headache
- Bad breath
- Feeling tired
Most of the time, symptoms start to improve in 7 to 10 days.
Causes
Sinusitis can stem from various factors, but it always results from fluid becoming trapped in the sinuses, allowing germs to grow. The most common cause is a virus, but a bacterial infection can also lead to sinusitis. Triggers can include allergies and asthma, as well as pollutants in the air, such as chemicals or other irritants.