Sinus Care

You can pretty much count on suffering dull, throbbing pain when sinuses – the small air spaces in the head behind the nose, eyes and cheeks – become infected. Pain worsens when you move suddenly or lean forward. You may even experience aching or a yellow-green drainage from your nose.

Sinus infections, also called sinusitis, often follow a cold. They can be acute (sudden) or chronic (long-term). With chronic sinusitis, the infection or inflammation does not completely go away for 12 weeks or more. Viruses, bacteria, fungi and the common cold cause most cases of sinusitis.

Thankfully, our doctors can help ease sinus problems with time-tested treatments and medications.

Sinus infection symptoms

• Achy feeling in upper teeth
• Bad breath
• Cough that produces mucus
• Facial pain and/or swelling
• Fever and chills
• Headache
• Nasal congestion
• Pain and pressure around the eyes, across the cheeks and the forehead
• Reduced sense of taste or smell
• Runny nose
  
  

Treatment for sinus infections

Use these at-home steps to reduce sinus swelling and inflammation and facilitate mucous drainage from the sinuses:

• Breathe moist air from a steam vaporizer or cool-mist humidifier, basin of hot water, or hot shower
• Alternate hot and cold compresses
• Nasal rinse
• Over-the-counter medications, with aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, naproxen, or a combination
• Decongestants or nasal steroid sprays
• Alternative medicine, including herbs, such as angelica, mint, and chrysanthemum