ear, nose, and throat disorders
Sinusitis
Symptoms of Sinusitis
Acute and chronic sinusitis cause similar symptoms, including Yellow or green pus discharged from the nose Headache Pressure and pain in the face Congestion and blockage in the nose Tenderness (pain when touched) and swelling over the affected sinus Reduced ability to smell (hyposmia) Bad breath (halitosis) A productive cough (especially at night) Some symptoms suggest which sinus is infected: Maxillary sinusitiscauses pain over the cheeks just below the eyes, toothache, and headache. Frontal sinusitiscauses headache over the forehead. Ethmoid sinusitiscauses pain behind and between the eyes, tearing, and headache (often described as splitting) over the forehead. Sphenoid sinusitiscauses pain that does not occur in well-defined areas and may be felt in the front or back of the head. A person also may feel generally ill (malaise). Fever and chills also can occur, but their presence may suggest that the infection has spread beyond the sinuses. Often the pain is more severe in acute sinusitis. Sometimes headache and facial pain increase when lying down or bending forward. The main complication of sinusitis is spread of a bacterial infection. An infection may spread to the tissues around the eye (see Introduction to Eye Socket Disorders ) and cause changes in vision or swelling around the eye. Less commonly, the infection spreads to involve the eye itself, causing eye pain and disturbing vision. Less often, an infection can spread to tissues around the brain ( ) and cause severe headache and confusion. People with sinusitis who develop such symptoms should be evaluated by a doctor as soon as possible. 