You may have sinusitis if you present with these signs

The sinuses play a very important role in the body, so one should not be complacent about signs related to the disease. Experiencing pain, abnormal nasal mucus secretion, or loss of sense of smell indicates an issue with the sinuses.

Medically reviewed by Dr. Tran Trong Uyen Minh, MD, PhD

What is sinusitis?

Sinuses are small, air-filled cavities closely connected to the nose. When the nasal mucosa is attacked by agents that cause cells and tissues to swell and increase secretions, the sinus drainage openings become swollen and blocked, leading to fluid stagnation in the sinuses and resulting in sinusitis.

The condition typically develops in susceptible individuals, predominantly affecting adults and rarely occurring in children due to their underdeveloped paranasal sinuses. Sinusitis is prone to recurrence, frequently flaring up during seasonal transitions

Signs and symptoms of sinusitis are often non-specific, particularly in the early stages. However, when the following manifestations occur, you should present to a medical facility for evaluation of potential sinusitis:

1. Nasal pain

Inflammation in the nose and sinuses irritates the cells in this area, causing them to become swollen, red, and painful, keeping the nasal cells in a constantly sensitive state. This is why patients with sinusitis always experience nasal aching and pain

2. Profuse rhinorrhea

When the paranasal sinuses accumulate excess fluid due to inflammation, the secretions may drain anteriorly through the nasal cavity or posteriorly into the pharynx, depending on the anatomical pathways connecting the nose, sinuses, and throat, such as:

• Anterior sinusitis: anterior nasal cavity contains excess fluid.

• Posterior sinusitis: discharge draining down the throat.

You will experience discomfort in the nasal region or throat, with a persistent urge to blow your nose or clear this abnormal discharge. Typically, based on the characteristics of this discharge—such as clear white, yellow, green, or foul-smelling—the physician can assess the severity of sinusitis.

3. Nasal congestion

Swollen and inflamed sinuses combined with fluid retention in the nasal area obstruct airflow, causing individuals with sinusitis to experience breathing difficulties and nasal congestion. This is a characteristic symptom of this condition.

Patients may experience unilateral or bilateral nasal congestion accompanied by dyspnea, fatigue, and general malaise. In some cases, nasal obstruction also impairs the sense of smell as well as the vocal resonance produced by individuals with sinusitis.

4. Loss of smell, taste, and vision

Loss of smell commonly occurs due to severe nasal congestion and is a frequent symptom. However, severe sinusitis can directly affect your sense of taste, making it difficult to perceive flavors during disease exacerbations. Visual loss may occur due to the involvement of the optic nerve by sinusitis. In addition to causing orbital inflammation and transient visual decline, if left without early and proper treatment, you may face the risk of significant long-term visual impairment.

5. Sinus Headaches and Facial Pain Over Sinus Points

When excessive mucus and inflammatory exudates accumulate within the paranasal sinuses, they can cause erythema and localized pain corresponding to the specific affected sinuses. Some notable tender points include:

• Maxillary sinus: pain in the cheek area and upper teeth.

• Frontal sinus: pain between the eyebrows, usually occurring at a specific time.

• Ethmoid sinus: pain in both eyes.

• Posterior ethmoid sinus, sphenoid sinus: pain in the occipital region (back of the neck).

6. Pharyngitis

Mucus resides not only in the nasal cavity and sinuses but can also drain into the pharynx. As these secretions migrate downward, they carry irritants along, inducing pharyngeal irritation that leads to inflammation, edema, local warmth, and erythema.

7. Fever

Because sinusitis only occurs in the upper respiratory tract, anti-inflammatory cells can rapidly arrive and eliminate the infection, making fever an uncommon symptom.

Typically, patients present with only a low-grade fever; however, if the condition progresses to pharyngitis, patients may develop a high fever exceeding 38.5 degrees C

8. Ho

Mucus draining down the throat will be recognized as a foreign agent. This agent can irritate the pharyngeal mucosa, triggering a reflex to expel these substances from the respiratory tract, causing a cough.

Coughing occurs frequently and may exacerbate with postural changes. Persistent coughing causes difficulty initiating sleep.

9. Visual Impairment

Sinusitis leads to ocular inflammation as pathogenic bacteria travel through blood vessels from the sinus cavities, specifically: orbital cellulitis, lacrimal sac abscess (manifested by excessive tearing), blepharitis (manifested by itchy eyelids), and optic neuritis.

Numerous patients experience marked visual impairment due to sinusitis, or in severe cases, suffer permanent vision loss resulting from delayed treatment.

10. Fatigue, memory impairment:

In addition to the aforementioned signs, persistent fatigue frequently accompanies recurrent sinusitis flare-ups, along with concurrent memory impairment.

Sinusitis cannot be cured with just a few simple, perfunctory doses of antibiotics; rather, patients must strictly adhere to the treatment protocol and duration prescribed by an ENT specialist using targeted medications to achieve the best efficacy.

Please contact Sante Hospital for consultation and examination by Dr. Tran Trong Uyen Minh, MD, PhD with more than 30 years of experience in Ear, Nose, and Throat diseases. Sante Hospital applies nationwide health insurance and direct billing insurance to provide optimal benefits for customers.

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