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Rhinosinusitis is divided into four categories depending on how long the illness lasts:
Acute sinusitis is most often the result of an upper respiratory tract infection.Chronic sinusitis is associated with allergies,nasal polyps,deviated septum, or even an undiagnosed fungal infection (most often in immunocompromised people).
Symptoms
Symptoms of rhinosinusitis are similar regardless of the duration or cause, and may include:
Unlike adults, children with rhinosinusitis will typically have a cough.
Because not all of the symptoms are experienced in the nose or sinuses, your dentist or optometrist may be the first person to spot them and refer you to an otolaryngologist (an ear, nose, and throat specialist).
If left untreated, chronic rhinosinusitis can lead to other more serious complications, includingsleep apneaand nasal polyps.
Diagnosis
Your healthcare provider will likely not perform any tests beyond their general assessment for rhinosinusitis. This can usually be diagnosed based on the history of your symptoms and physical exam findings.
If your healthcare provider suspects an infection, a nasal or sputum culture and possibly a CT scan may be ordered to identify the cause and extent of the infection. This can help with the selection of the appropriate antibiotic.
If your healthcare provider believes that your rhinosinusitis is related to allergies, you will likely be referred to an allergist for a thorough evaluation of your allergies. In order to achieve maximal relief, you will need to avoid allergens that are causing your symptoms.
Treatment
Many of the symptoms related to rhinosinusitis can be managed using over-the-counter pain relievers (like acetaminophen or ibuprofen), decongestants (like pseudoephedrine), nasal irrigation, or topical steroids.
Allergic rhinosinusitis may be treated with antihistamines like Claritin, Zyrtec, or Allegra.
Nasal decongestants are commonly used to help reduce inflammation in your nasal passages. Since many decongestants are now available over-the-counter it is common to self-medicate with these drugs before seeing a healthcare provider.
It is important to avoid the overuse of nasal decongestants, such as Afrin (oxymetazoline) or Neo-Synephrine (phenylephrine hydrochloride), which can lead to rebound congestion and nasal spray addiction.
A Word From Verywell
To this end, it is important to receive a proper diagnosis from a qualified healthcare provider if your symptoms are severe, persistent, recurrent, worsening, or interfering with the quality of your life.
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11 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Aring AM, Chan MM.Acute rhinosinusitis in adults.AFP; 83(9):1057-1063.National Library of Medicine.Acute Sinusitis.National Institutes of Health.Chronic Sinusitis.National Library of Medicine.Sinusitis.Texas A&M Health University.Bad Breath Could Signal Sinus Infection.Alshehri AMS, Assiri OA, Alqarni AMS, Alkhairi MAY, Alzahrani MAA, Alshehri SHA, Alshehri NAA, Abouelyazid AY.Prevalence and clinical presentation of sinusitis in pediatric age group in Aseer, Saudi Arabia.J Family Med Prim Care. 2021 Jun;10(6):2358-2362. doi:10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_2433_20Piromchai P, Kasemsiri P, Laohasiriwong S, Thanaviratananich S.Chronic rhinosinusitis and emerging treatment options.Int J Gen Med. 2013;6:453-464. doi:10.2147/IJGM.S29977American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Hay Fever.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Antibiotics Don’t Work for Viruses Like Colds and Flu.American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.Allergy Medications.Russo E, Giombi F, Paoletti G, Heffler E, Canonica GW, Pirola F, Mercante G, Spriano G, Malvezzi L, Keber E, SGCP, Giua C.Use, Abuse, and Misuse of Nasal Medications: Real-Life Survey on Community Pharmacist’s Perceptios.Journal of Personalized Medicine. 2023; 13(4):579. doi:10.3390/jpm13040579
11 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Aring AM, Chan MM.Acute rhinosinusitis in adults.AFP; 83(9):1057-1063.National Library of Medicine.Acute Sinusitis.National Institutes of Health.Chronic Sinusitis.National Library of Medicine.Sinusitis.Texas A&M Health University.Bad Breath Could Signal Sinus Infection.Alshehri AMS, Assiri OA, Alqarni AMS, Alkhairi MAY, Alzahrani MAA, Alshehri SHA, Alshehri NAA, Abouelyazid AY.Prevalence and clinical presentation of sinusitis in pediatric age group in Aseer, Saudi Arabia.J Family Med Prim Care. 2021 Jun;10(6):2358-2362. doi:10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_2433_20Piromchai P, Kasemsiri P, Laohasiriwong S, Thanaviratananich S.Chronic rhinosinusitis and emerging treatment options.Int J Gen Med. 2013;6:453-464. doi:10.2147/IJGM.S29977American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Hay Fever.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Antibiotics Don’t Work for Viruses Like Colds and Flu.American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.Allergy Medications.Russo E, Giombi F, Paoletti G, Heffler E, Canonica GW, Pirola F, Mercante G, Spriano G, Malvezzi L, Keber E, SGCP, Giua C.Use, Abuse, and Misuse of Nasal Medications: Real-Life Survey on Community Pharmacist’s Perceptios.Journal of Personalized Medicine. 2023; 13(4):579. doi:10.3390/jpm13040579
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Aring AM, Chan MM.Acute rhinosinusitis in adults.AFP; 83(9):1057-1063.National Library of Medicine.Acute Sinusitis.National Institutes of Health.Chronic Sinusitis.National Library of Medicine.Sinusitis.Texas A&M Health University.Bad Breath Could Signal Sinus Infection.Alshehri AMS, Assiri OA, Alqarni AMS, Alkhairi MAY, Alzahrani MAA, Alshehri SHA, Alshehri NAA, Abouelyazid AY.Prevalence and clinical presentation of sinusitis in pediatric age group in Aseer, Saudi Arabia.J Family Med Prim Care. 2021 Jun;10(6):2358-2362. doi:10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_2433_20Piromchai P, Kasemsiri P, Laohasiriwong S, Thanaviratananich S.Chronic rhinosinusitis and emerging treatment options.Int J Gen Med. 2013;6:453-464. doi:10.2147/IJGM.S29977American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Hay Fever.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Antibiotics Don’t Work for Viruses Like Colds and Flu.American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.Allergy Medications.Russo E, Giombi F, Paoletti G, Heffler E, Canonica GW, Pirola F, Mercante G, Spriano G, Malvezzi L, Keber E, SGCP, Giua C.Use, Abuse, and Misuse of Nasal Medications: Real-Life Survey on Community Pharmacist’s Perceptios.Journal of Personalized Medicine. 2023; 13(4):579. doi:10.3390/jpm13040579
Aring AM, Chan MM.Acute rhinosinusitis in adults.AFP; 83(9):1057-1063.
National Library of Medicine.Acute Sinusitis.
National Institutes of Health.Chronic Sinusitis.
National Library of Medicine.Sinusitis.
Texas A&M Health University.Bad Breath Could Signal Sinus Infection.
Alshehri AMS, Assiri OA, Alqarni AMS, Alkhairi MAY, Alzahrani MAA, Alshehri SHA, Alshehri NAA, Abouelyazid AY.Prevalence and clinical presentation of sinusitis in pediatric age group in Aseer, Saudi Arabia.J Family Med Prim Care. 2021 Jun;10(6):2358-2362. doi:10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_2433_20
Piromchai P, Kasemsiri P, Laohasiriwong S, Thanaviratananich S.Chronic rhinosinusitis and emerging treatment options.Int J Gen Med. 2013;6:453-464. doi:10.2147/IJGM.S29977
American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.Hay Fever.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Antibiotics Don’t Work for Viruses Like Colds and Flu.
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.Allergy Medications.
Russo E, Giombi F, Paoletti G, Heffler E, Canonica GW, Pirola F, Mercante G, Spriano G, Malvezzi L, Keber E, SGCP, Giua C.Use, Abuse, and Misuse of Nasal Medications: Real-Life Survey on Community Pharmacist’s Perceptios.Journal of Personalized Medicine. 2023; 13(4):579. doi:10.3390/jpm13040579
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