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Symptoms

By Mayo Clinic staff

Acute sinusitis symptoms often include:

  • Drainage of a thick, yellow or greenish discharge from the nose or down the back of the throat
  • Nasal obstruction or congestion, causing difficulty breathing through your nose
  • Pain, tenderness, swelling and pressure around your eyes, cheeks, nose or forehead
  • Aching in your upper jaw and teeth
  • Reduced sense of smell and taste
  • Cough, which may be worse at night

Other signs and symptoms can include:

  • Ear pain
  • Headache
  • Sore throat
  • Bad breath (halitosis)
  • Fatigue
  • Fever

When to see a doctor
If you have mild symptoms of sinusitis, try self-care.

Contact your doctor if you have any of the following:

  • Symptoms that don't improve within a few days or symptoms that get worse
  • A persistent fever
  • A history of recurrent or chronic sinusitis

See a doctor immediately if you have signs or symptoms that may indicate a serious infection:

  • Pain or swelling around your eyes
  • Swollen forehead
  • Severe headache
  • Confusion
  • Double vision or other vision changes
  • Stiff neck
  • Shortness of breath
References
  1. Hwang PH, et al. Acute sinusitis and rhinosinusitis in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 10, 2010.
  2. Sinus infection (sinusitis). National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. http://www.niaid.nih.gov/topics/sinusitis/Pages/Index.aspx. Accessed Aug. 10, 2010.
  3. Leung RS, et al. The diagnosis and management of acute and chronic sinusitis. Primary Care: Clinics in Office Practice. 2008;35:11.
  4. Tips to remember: Sinusitis. American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. http://www.aaaai.org/patients/publicedmat/tips/sinusitis.stm. Accessed Aug. 10, 2010.
  5. Joint Task Force on Practice Parameters for Allergy and Immunology. The diagnosis and management of sinusitis: A practice parameter update. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 2005;116(suppl):13.
  6. Dykewicz MS, et al. Rhinitis and sinusitis. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 2010;125(suppl):103.
  7. Fact sheet: 20 questions about your sinuses. American Academy of Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery. http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/sinuses.cfm. Accessed Aug. 10, 2010.
  8. Sinusitis. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. http://www.naturaldatabase.com. Accessed Aug. 11, 2010.
  9. Sinupret. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. http://www.naturaldatabase.com. Accessed Aug. 13, 2010.
  10. SinuComp. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. http://www.naturaldatabase.com. Accessed Aug. 13, 2010.
  11. Naegleria FAQs. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/naegleria/faqs.html. Accessed Dec. 30, 2011.
DS00170 Jan. 20, 2012

© 1998-2013 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "EmbodyHealth," "Enhance your life," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

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