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Ethmoiditis

Ethmoiditis is an infection or inflammation of the ethmoidal cells in the sinuses. These are the air-filled spaces in the bone behind the nose and between the eyes.

Ethmoiditis is a type of sinusitis.

Causes

Bacteria cause most ethmoid sinus infections. Some types of fungus and viruses can also be involved.

Symptoms

Symptoms usually include:

  • Headache between the eyes
  • Runny nose
  • Nasal congestion
  • Loss of sense of smell

Symptoms of more serious infections can include:

  • Vision loss
  • Double vision
  • Redness or bulging of the eyes

Images

References

Benninger MS, Roxbury CR, Stokken JK. Acute rhinosinusitis: pathogenesis, treatment, and complications. In: Flint PW, Francis HW, Haughey BH, et al, eds. Cummings Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 40.

DeMuri GP, Wald ER. Sinusitis. In: Blaser MJ, Cohen JI, Holland SM, et al, eds. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2026:chap 64.

Review Date 7/28/2025

Updated by: Ashutosh Kacker, MD, FACS, Professor of Clinical Otolaryngology, Weill Cornell Medical College, and Attending Otolaryngologist, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.