What's Up with Sinusitis?

Millions of Americans are affected by sinusitis every year. But it's often misdiagnosed and misunderstood by people who have it.

Sinusitis affects the sinuses. The sinuses connect to the nasal passages. Sinusitis is swelling (inflammation) in these sinuses. It can be caused by allergies, certain medicines, infection, or changes in the air. Or it can be caused by problems in the sinuses themselves. Short-term (acute) sinusitis lasts less than 4 weeks. It's the most common form of this condition.

Your nose can get stuffy when you have a cold, so it's easy to confuse nasal congestion with rhinosinusitis. Acute rhinosinusitis is inflammation of both of the nasal passages and the sinuses. It lasts longer than a cold and causes some different symptoms. It often begins about 10 days after the start of a cold.

With sinusitis, you may have some or all of these symptoms:

• Pain in the upper jaw and teeth

• Headache when you wake up in the morning

• Pain when your forehead or cheek is touched

• Soreness when the sides of your nose are touched, a loss of smell, and a stuffy nose

• Earaches, neck pain, and deep aching at the top of your head

• Fever

• Weakness

• A cough that may be more severe at night

• Runny nose or nasal congestion

• Postnasal drainage of thick mucus

• Sore throat