Glossary On Symptoms of Sinusitis

A patient with Sinusitis will frequently give the history that he has been suffering from a cold since a few days. This was followed by progressively worsening blockage of the nose and heaviness in the head. Gradually the nasal discharge turned yellowish or greenish and he suffered from headache, cough, bad breath, etc.

This chronology of events is precisely what happens in most cases of sinusitis, whether they are acute, chronic or recurrent.

Listed here are some of the common symptoms of sinusitis. Not all of them may be seen together but varying combinations of these are seen in most cases:

• Runny nose - the discharge being thick and yellowish or greenish
• Nasal obstruction, blocked nose, obstructed sensation in the nose
• Sensation of pressure in the face and head
• Passage of mucus from the back of the nose into the throat (called post nasal drip or discharge)
• Headache
• Reduced sense of smell
• Bad breath
• Bad taste in mouth at times
• Cough with mucus production (more at night when lying down)
• Teeth pain
• Blocked sensation in one or both ears
• Soreness in throat
• Tiredness, fatigue
• Fever

Pain and tenderness due to sinusitis may vary in location depending on the sinus that is affected in a given case:

• Frontal sinusitis: Pain in forehead region, around eyebrows
• Maxillary sinusitis: Pain in cheekbones, upper jaw, upper teeth on applying pressure
• Ethmoid sinusitis: Pain between the eyes, around the bridge of the nose. There may be swelling of the eyelids.
• Sphenoid sinusitis: Pain deep inside the head, ear pain, neck pain.

Watch out for these signs and symptoms since they indicate that you need immediate medical attention:

• High fever above 101 degrees F
• Swelling of forehead
• Swelling around eyes
• Confusion
• Headache that does not respond to routine medication
• Stiffness of neck
• Double vision or other vision disturbances
• Breathlessness