What is Sinusitis?

Sinusitis is the inflammation of the air cavities within the passage of the nose³.

How to spot sinusitis:

Here are some common symptoms to look out for in both acute and chronic sinusitis:

Congestion in the nose⁷
Pain and swelling in the sinus areas⁷
Decreased sense of smell⁷
Headache, toothache, earache and eye pain⁶
Productive cough - especially at night⁷

Discoloured dischare can be found in severe cases of sinusitis⁸, while a post nasal drip that irriates the throat is associated specifcally with chronic sinusitis⁶.

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Sinusitis due to a cold or the flu:

Let's take a step-by-step look at how sinusitis usually develops from a common cold⁷.

During a cold the mucous membranes in the nasal cavity swell up and block the openings of the sinuses.
More air in the sinuses is absorbed into the bloodstream.
Pressure inside the sinuses decreases, drawing fluid into the sinuses and causing discomfort.
The build-up of trapped fluid encourages bacteria to multiply.
White blood cells and more fluid enter the sinuses to fight off the bacteria.
This leads to continued pressure changes and pain.

Key symptoms of sinusitis
Facial pain and tenderness⁸ Congestion in the nose⁸ Swelling over the infected sinus⁸ Decrease sense of smell⁸ Possible bad breath or halitosis⁸ Headache - due to pressure in blocked sinuses, bending down can increase pain⁶ General feeling or fatigue- due to fever, immune response or coughing⁶	Productive cough - especially at night⁸ Toothache - caused by pressure surrounding nerves and tissues⁶ Earache - causes by pressure on surrounding nerves and tissues⁶ Eye pain - causes by pressure on surrounding nerves and tissues⁶ Discoloured nasal discharge - in severe cases⁸ Postnasal drip - this irritates the throat tissue and is associated with chronic sinusitis⁸

Sinusitis in children:

At first, it can be tricky to distinguish sinusitis from an upper respiratory tract infection in children⁸. Sinusitis is, however, usually the suspect when pus-filled nasal discharge continues for more than 10 days and child remains tired with a persistent cough⁷.