Hay fever or another allergic condition that affects your sinuses. A common cold that affects your sinuses. A nasal passage abnormality, such as a deviated nasal septum, nasal polyps or tumors. A medical condition such as cystic fibrosis or an immune system disorder such as HIV/AIDS.
A crooked septum — the wall between the nostrils — may restrict or block sinus passages, making the symptoms of sinusitis worse. Other medical conditions. The complications of conditions such as cystic fibrosis, HIV and other immune system-related diseases can lead to nasal blockage. Respiratory tract infections.
Unilateral facial pain / swelling. Persistent bleeding/crusting with unilateral nasal obstruction. Persistent clear watery discharge (CSF leak - presents like a dripping tap from tip of nose) Persistent bulging eye associated with partial or total loss of vision, painful eye movements or double vision.
See a doctor if you have: Severe symptoms, such as severe headache or facial pain. Symptoms that get worse after improving. Symptoms lasting more than 10 days without getting better.
Call 911 immediately or go to the nearest emergency room (ER) if you have any of the following symptoms of sinus infection: Intense sweating. Horrible chills. Inability to breathe.
Instead, your doctor looks largely at symptom duration to determine the source of your infection. A viral sinus infection will usually start to improve after five to seven days. A bacterial sinus infection will often persist for seven to 10 days or longer, and may actually worsen after seven days.
If after 10 days, your symptoms have not improved, see your primary care doctor. You may have an acute sinus infection. If it lasts four weeks, you potentially have a sub-acute sinus infection that needs more aggressive treatment. If symptoms last over 12 weeks, you're likely dealing with a chronic infection.
Sinus infections can be viral or bacterial. “Either way, it's best to stay home,” Wigmore says. Viral sinus infections are often contagious. If you have had symptoms longer than one week, or if you have severe facial pain, teeth/jaw pain, or fever, you may have a bacterial infection and should consult your doctor.
You can also help your cause by blowing your nose gently without pinching it tightly; forceful blowing can force bacteria up into your sinuses.
Examples of fluids to drink when a person has a sinus infection include: plain water. hot water with lemon, honey, or ginger. herbal teas.
An “acute” sinus infection lasts anywhere from ten days up to eight weeks. A “chronic” infection lasts even longer. It is ongoing — it may seem like it's improving, and then it comes right back as bad as it was at first. Chronic sinus infections may drag on for months at a time.
Most people get better on their own after seven to 10 days. Antibiotics are only helpful for bacterial infections. Most sinusitis is due to viruses or other causes that are not cured by antibiotics. Other treatment options include ways to manage your symptoms.
Garlic. Garlic is well known for being a natural antibiotic. Since colds often lead to a sinus infection, garlic is an awesome way to naturally treat a sinus infection and even prevent it in the first place.
As your body works hard to fight off the sinus infection, you'll feel more tired than usual. Fatigue can be also be caused by head pain, a lack of adequate sleep, and difficulty breathing due to sinusitis.
Sinusitis usually goes away on its own. Sinusitis is usually caused by a virus, so antibiotics won't help. Over-the-counter medicines and home treatment can help you feel better. Antibiotics do work if sinusitis is caused by bacteria.
Vicks VapoRub — a topical ointment made of ingredients including camphor, eucalyptus oil and menthol that you rub on your throat and chest — doesn't relieve nasal congestion. But the strong menthol odor of VapoRub may trick your brain, so you feel like you're breathing through an unclogged nose.
Blowing the nose can worsen the feeling of congestion due to pressure build-up within the nostrils, which may shoot up the mucus into the sinuses instead of ejection through the nose.
Left untreated, a sinus infection has the potential to spread to your meninges (the protective coverings around your brain and spinal cord), causing them to become inflamed — a condition called meningitis. Meningitis gives rise to the following signs and symptoms: Sudden, high-grade fever. Neck stiffness.