If you’ve ever suffered from a sinus infection before, you know just how painful and uncomfortable it can be. No matter how much medicine for cough and cold you take, you can’t seem to get the relief you need. Sinusitis is often triggered by a virus infection and can last for weeks if you don’t take the necessary measures to properly treat it. But how can you tell that you’ve got sinusitis and not just the common cough or cold infection? Here are the signs you need to watch out for.
Pain
Pain is considered to be the most common and most unpleasant symptom of sinusitis. Whenever you get a sinus infection, the inflamed sinuses swell up and cause a dull pressure that is hard to ignore. Since you have different sinuses around your eyes and behind your nose, the pain will often start there and in some cases, travel to the upper jaws and teeth.
Facial Congestion
The swelling can also restrict your breathing so you’ll feel all the side effects of having a stuffy nose. Even though the infection is concentrated on the nasal area, it will feel like your whole face is affected.
Headache
Because of the pressure and congestion, you might also suffer from a bad headache. Sinus headaches are said to be worst during the mornings, when all the fluid has been collected over the course of the night. It can also get worse with sudden change in temperature and environment, forcing you to stay in when the infection strikes.
Sinus Discharge
As if the signs above weren’t enough, you also have to deal with sinus discharge. If you want to alleviate the pressure from your sinuses, blowing your nose to let out that greenish yellow discharge may be advisable. You need to make sure that you get rid of the discharge from your infected sinuses to prevent post nasal drip.
Cough
If you fail to get rid of the discharge, it can drain down the back of your throat and cause irritation. If left alone for a long period of time, this can cause an annoying and persistent cough. What makes a sinus cough more annoying than your regular cough is that it tends to get worse by night time, making it impossible for you to get a good night’s rest. Keeping your head elevated with pillows while you sleep may help lessen the cough.
Sore Throat
Remember the post nasal drip that we mentioned earlier? It doesn’t just cause cough, it can also leave you with an aching throat. It may start with a seemingly harmless tickle in the throat, but ignore the infection for a few weeks and it will develop into a painfully sore throat.
If you’ve been battling with sinusitis for more than a month, and the symptoms just won’t go away, then you’re already dealing with a chronic infection. Don’t let it go on for another day. The best way to know for sure, and get the right treatment is to see your doctor.