Sinusitis

What are the symptoms of sinusitis?

There are four main symptoms of sinusitis:

1. Difficulty breathing through the nose
2. Pain or discomfort in the cheek, forehead area or between the eyes (which can feel like throbbing pain or sensation of fullness or heaviness)
3. Thick yellowish or greenish nasal discharge – this can drain out through the nose or drip back into the throat
4. Altered smell/taste (hyposmia – reduced smell/taste) or cacosmia (foul smell in the nose)

Some people may also experience other general symptoms such as fever, nausea, vomiting or general tiredness.

When should you see a doctor?

• Your sinusitis symptoms last longer than ten days
• If they worsen after initially improving
• If you experience severe pain, high fever or persistent nasal discharge
• If you have recurrent sinus infections
• Difficulty breathing
• Swelling around the eyes or forehead
• If you develop vision changes
• If over-the-counter treatments provide no relief
• You have an underlying condition such as asthma
• You have a weakened immune system and medical condition