Symptoms of chronic and acute sinusitis that you should be aware of

A blocked nose, mucus or runny nose, and a deteriorating sense of smell can be some of the symptoms of recurrent sinusitis. Sinusitis is a condition when there is infection and swelling of the sinuses or facial cavity. Then, what are the signs and symptoms of sinusitis that should be recognized and immediately checked by a doctor?

Get to know sinusitis at a glance

Sinusitis is a common nose disorder and almost anyone can experience it. Sinusitis is an infection and swelling of the facial cavity or sinuses. The cause of sinusitis is usually a viral infection, although in some cases sinusitis can also be triggered by a bacterial infection.

Sinus infections are easier if you:

• never had the flu before
• having allergic rhinitis
• exposure to cigarette smoke
• have abnormal nasal or sinus structures (for example due to nasal polyps, asthma, or crooked nasal bones)
• have a weak immune system

Sinusitis caused by bacteria is not usually contagious. However, you can catch viral sinusitis if you are infected. Therefore, it is very important to wash your hands and keep your distance from other people to prevent transmission of sinusitis.

Sinusitis symptoms that you need to watch out for

The characteristics and signs of sinusitis will usually vary from person to person. However, here are the common symptoms that appear when your sinuses become inflamed and swollen:

1. Pain in the sinuses

Pain in the sinuses is a common symptom of sinusitis. Humans have several sinus cavities that are located under the eyes and behind the nose. Some of these areas can be painful when you have a bacterial or viral infection.

This is because inflammation due to sinusitis can press on your sinuses, leaving you with a sharp pain. Some people usually complain of pain in the head, both sides of the nose, the top of the jaw and teeth, or between the eyes.

2. Headache

Sinusitis also often causes headaches that are stabbing or pressing. You will usually feel pressure around your nose, cheeks, or forehead. The pain can also radiate to the top of your teeth.

Sometimes, the symptoms of headaches in people who have sinusitis are difficult to distinguish from migraine headaches. Both types of headaches also get worse if you lower your head or bend over.

The difference is, sinusitis headaches are not accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and are sensitive to light. All three are characteristic of migraines.

3. Runny nose

Sinusitis is also often characterized by increased mucus or mucus in the nose. The mucus that comes out is thicker, yellow or greenish in color.

This runny nose phenomenon originates from your infected sinuses, which can cause the mucus to turn yellow or green in color.

4. Nasal congestion

Inflammation in the sinuses leads to swelling. As a result, the swelling prevents the air from getting in and out properly through the nose.

Nasal congestion also often causes you to be unable to smell or taste normally. Nasal congestion can also make your voice sound nasal or nasal bindeng.

5. Uncomfortable throat

The mucus or mucus that results from sinusitis can drain down the back of your throat. As a result, the throat becomes uncomfortable, itchy, and even causes pain.

Usually, this build-up of mucus in the throat makes you wake up at night coughing. Your voice may also sound hoarser.

Immediately consult a doctor if you experience the following conditions:

• The symptoms get worse, for example, headaches and facial pain that is unbearable.
• Symptoms got better, but then got worse again.
• Sinusitis symptoms last more than 10 days without progress.
• Fever for more than 3-4 days.

You should also see your doctor if you have had multiple sinus infections in the past year.

To diagnose sinusitis, your doctor will ask you about your medical history, your symptoms, and run tests on your ears, nose and mouth.

In some cases, you may need to be referred to an ENT (ear, nose, and throat) doctor. You may also need to undergo imaging tests, such as a CT scan.

Types of sinusitis and their symptoms

Sinusitis itself can be divided into several types, depending on how long the symptoms last. The following are the types of sinusitis based on information from the Cleveland Clinic:

Acute sinusitis

Acute sinusitis usually lasts 10 days or more. This disease is usually caused by the common cold that comes from a viral infection. Acute sinusitis is also characterized by symptoms that get better, then come back with more severe symptoms.

There is also a term subacute sinusitis and recurrent acute sinusitis. In subacute cases, sinusitis symptoms usually last 4-12 weeks. Meanwhile, recurrent acute sinusitis can occur 4 or more times in 1 year, and each occurrence lasts less than 2 weeks.

Most of the time, acute sinusitis can be treated at home, but if it doesn't go away, it can develop into infections and serious complications.

When you have acute sinusitis, you can show flu-like symptoms, such as:

• The nasal mucus (snot) is green or yellow in color
• The face feels sore or pressure
• Blocked nose
• Bad sense of smell (difficulty catching smells)
• Cough

If you experience two or more of the above symptoms, you may be suffering from acute sinusitis.

Apart from that, you can also experience:

• Bad breath
• Fatigue
• Tooth ache

Chronic sinusitis

This sinusitis usually lasts for more than 12 weeks or you have had the disease many times. This disease is usually caused by infection, nasal polyps, or bone abnormalities in the nasal cavity.

As with acute sinusitis, you may have difficulty breathing through your nose as well as face and head pain.

Some of the other symptoms of chronic sinusitis that can be felt for at least eight weeks are:

• The face feels swollen
• Blocked nose
• The nasal cavity oozes pus
• Fever
• Mucous discharge from the nose (snot)

Some people also experience the following symptoms.

• Bad breath
• Fatigue
• Tooth ache
• Headaches, especially when lowering your head

Sometimes, sinusitis is similar to the symptoms of rhinitis

Sinusitis and rhinitis sometimes lead to a cause-and-effect relationship. Blockage of the airways that occurs when someone has rhinitis, often leads to infection, and one of the causes of sinusitis is an infection in your airway.

Some of the symptoms exhibited by sinusitis and rhinitis are similar. For example, nasal congestion, weakness, so that you feel pressure on your head. In addition, both rhinitis and sinusitis are both inflammatory.

The difference is that inflammatory rhinitis occurs in your nasal cavity, while sinusitis inflammation occurs in the air cavity located behind the cheekbones and forehead (sinuses).