How to Recognize the Symptoms of a Sinus Infection

While most sinus infections will require a trip to your doctor’s office for an effective cure and treatment of symptoms, many folks head to the doctor that don’t really have a sinus infection at all. The reason for the frequent confusion is because many of the symptoms of sinus infections, colds, allergies and the flu are very similar, and most of us have trouble discerning between these conditions. However, there are some telltale symptoms of a sinus infection that will help you to determine if this is indeed the condition that you are suffering from, and if you need to take a trip to the doctor for treatment.

One of the most common symptoms of a sinus infection is pain and pressure in the areas of the sinuses. However, since your sinus cavities are located in a variety of places around your head and face, your symptoms may vary based on the specific location of your infection. For example, some people will feel the pain and pressure above the eyes by the eyebrows, while others will feel it in their cheekbones. Still others will have pain in the neck and ears and some will feel it in the eyes with an increased sensitivity to light and a swelling of the eyelids. A few sinus infection sufferers will feel the pain in the jaw and the teeth as well.

Additional Symptoms of a Sinus Infection

There are many other symptoms of a sinus infection that may be harder to recognize. A fever, fatigue, sore throat and cough can all be signs of a sinus infection, although they can be symptoms of a number of other ailments as well. You might also have a reduce sense of smell or taste, and you could have bad breath. Finally, you may experience a thick discharge that is yellow or green in color. However, you can also have this type of discharge with a common cold or the flu, so this in itself is not a sure symptom of a sinus infection.

Symptoms of a sinus infection will generally occur at the tail end of a cold or the flu, or in the midst of an acute allergy flare up. If you have suffered from a cold for longer than a week, you have a much higher chance of getting a sinus infection, since nasal passages and sinus cavities that are congested over the long term run a greater risk of developing an infection. If you do suspect that you have symptoms of a sinus infection, it is a good idea to make an appointment with your doctor to get an accurate diagnosis and an effective treatment. The sooner you treat a sinus infection, the sooner you can return to the daily activities of your life.