Sinusitis

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Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Diagnosis and Tests
• Treatments and Therapies

Learn More

• Related Issues
• Specifics

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Research

• Statistics and Research
• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

• Reference Desk
• Find an Expert

For You

• Children
• Patient Handouts

Summary

Sinusitis means your sinuses are inflamed. The cause can be an infection or another problem. Your sinuses are hollow air spaces within the bones surrounding the nose. They produce mucus, which drains into the nose. If your nose is swollen, this can block the sinuses and cause pain.

There are several types of sinusitis, including:

• Acute, which lasts up to 4 weeks
• Subacute, which lasts 4 to 12 weeks
• Chronic, which lasts more than 12 weeks and can continue for months or even years
• Recurrent, with several attacks within a year

Acute sinusitis often starts as a cold, which then turns into a bacterial infection. Allergies, nasal problems, and certain diseases can also cause acute and chronic sinusitis.

Symptoms of sinusitis can include fever, weakness, fatigue, cough, and congestion. There may also be mucus drainage in the back of the throat, called postnasal drip. Your health care professional diagnoses sinusitis based on your symptoms and an examination of your nose and face. You may also need imaging tests. Treatments include antibiotics, decongestants, and pain relievers. Using heat pads on the inflamed area, saline nasal sprays, and vaporizers can also help.

Start Here

• Sinus Infection Basics (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Sinusitis (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish

Diagnosis and Tests

• Computed Tomography (CT) -- Sinuses (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
• Panoramic Dental X-Ray (American College of Radiology; Radiological Society of North America) Also in Spanish
• Radiography of the Paranasal Sinuses (American Society of Radiologic Technologists) - PDF - In English and Spanish

Treatments and Therapies

• Decongestants: OTC Relief for Congestion (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
• How to Use Nasal Sprays (With Images) (American Society of Health-System Pharmacists)
• Is Rinsing Your Sinuses With Neti Pots Safe? (Food and Drug Administration)
• Nasal Sprays: How to Use Them Correctly (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
• Nasal Wash Treatment (National Jewish Health) Also in Spanish
• Saline Sinus Rinse Recipe (American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology) Also in Spanish

Related Issues

• Colds, Allergies and Sinusitis - How to Tell the Difference (American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology) - PDF Also in Spanish
• How to Prevent Naegleria fowleri Infection when Rinsing Sinuses or Nasal Passages (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Marvels of Mucus and Phlegm: The Slime That Keeps You Healthy (National Institutes of Health) Also in Spanish
• Post-Nasal Drip (American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery)
• Sinus Headaches (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• Sinus Infection and Toothache: Any Connection? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish

Specifics

• Acute Sinusitis (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• Chronic Sinusitis (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• Fungal Sinusitis (American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery)

Statistics and Research

• FastStats: Chronic Sinusitis (National Center for Health Statistics)

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Sinusitis (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Expression of Major Basic Protein and Endothelial Adhesion Molecules in Chronically...
• Article: Mucosal Inflammatory Memory in Chronic Rhinosinusitis.
• Article: Automated Evaluation of Antibiotic Prescribing Guideline Concordance in Pediatric Sinusitis Clinical...
• Sinusitis -- see more articles

Reference Desk

• Sinuses / Sinusitis / Rhinosinusitis Defined (American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology)

Find an Expert

• American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology
• American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery
• American Rhinologic Society
• Find an ENT (American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery)
• National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Children

• Difference between Sinusitis and a Cold (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish
• Pediatric Sinusitis (American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery)
• Sinusitis (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
• When Sinuses Attack! (For Kids) (Nemours Foundation)

Patient Handouts

• Saline nasal washes (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Sinus CT scan (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Sinus MRI scan (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Sinus x-ray (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Sinusitis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Sinusitis in adults - aftercare (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Stuffy or runny nose - adult (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Stuffy or runny nose - children (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish