Is this your symptom?
- Fullness, pressure or pain on the face over a sinus (above the eyebrow, behind the eye, and under the cheekbone)
- Other common symptoms can be a blocked nose, runny nose, or postnasal drip
Symptoms
- The pain or pressure is often just on one side of the face. The pain can throb and often feels worse when bending forward.
- Swelling around just one eye.
- A stuffy or blocked nose or runny nose. You may also have a mucus drip down the back of the throat. This is called a postnasal drip.
- Headache
- Toothache
- Blood in mucus from the nose
- Less common symptoms are bad breath or mouth breathing. Also, may have a sore throat and throat clearing from postnasal drip.
- Your sense of taste may be off
- Feeling of pressure in the ears
- Cough
Causes of Sinus Congestion
Acute sinusitis. The infection comes on quickly (over a few days) and often gets better over 2-3 weeks. It can last longer. Most cases are mild and get better quickly. Some people get recurrent bouts of acute sinusitis. Causes are:
- Viral Sinus Infection. Part of the common cold. A cold infects the lining of the nose. It also involves the lining of all the sinuses.
- Bacterial Sinus Infection. A problem when the sinus becomes infected with bacteria. Occurs with 5% of colds. It starts after having a viral sinus infection. The main symptoms are increased sinus pain or return of fever. The skin around the eyelids or cheeks may become red or swollen. Thick nasal secretions that last more than 14 days may point to a sinus infection.
- Dental Infection. This can spread to the sinuses from an infected tooth. Treatment will be needed for both the dental infection and sinus infection.
- Problems that can make acute sinusitis more likely:
- Allergic Sinus Reaction. Sinus congestion often occurs with nasal allergies (such as from pollen). Sneezing, itchy nose and clear nasal discharge point to this cause.
- Growths or polyps can block sinus drainage and make it more likely to become infected.
- Previous surgery or injury to the nose or face can also change the sinus so it becomes blocked more easily.
- Other health problems. People with asthma, cystic fibrosis and a weakened immune system are more likely to develop acute sinusitis, as are pregnant women.
- Smoking
Chronic Sinusitis. This is when sinusitis lasts for 12 weeks or more. You may need diagnostic tests to find out why the congestion and/or infection are not clearing.
Treatment of Sinus Congestion
- Viral Sinus Infection. Nasal washes with saline. Antibiotics are not helpful.
- Bacterial Sinus Infection. Antibiotics by mouth.
- Allergic Sinus Reaction. Treat the nasal allergy with allergy medicines. This often helps the sinus symptoms, too.
- Thick Nasal Drainage. Nasal secretions need treatment with nasal saline when they block the nose. Also, treat if they make it hard to breathe through the nose. If breathing is noisy, it may mean the dried mucus is farther back. Nasal saline rinses can remove it.
- Blocked Sinuses. If the sinuses are blocked due to a growth or previous surgery/injury, a surgery may be needed to open up the sinus so it will drain freely.
Color of Nasal Discharge with Colds
- The nasal discharge changes color during different stages of a cold. This is normal.
- It starts as a clear discharge and later becomes cloudy.
- Sometimes it becomes yellow or green colored for a few days. This is still normal.
- Colored discharge is common after sleep, with allergy medicines or with low humidity. Reason: all of these events decrease the amount of normal nasal secretions.
Bacterial Sinus Infections: When to Suspect
- Yellow or green nasal discharge is seen with both viral and bacterial sinus infections. Suspect a bacterial infection if the discharge becomes thick (like pus). But, it also needs one or more of these symptoms:
- Sinus pain, not just normal sinus congestion. Pain occurs mainly behind the cheekbone or eye or
- Swelling or redness of the skin over any sinus or
- Fever lasts more than 3 days or
- Fever returns after it's been gone for over 24 hours or
- Nasal discharge and post-nasal drip lasts more than 14 days without getting better
When to Call for Sinus Pain or Congestion
Go to ER Now
Call Doctor or Seek Care Now
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Contact Doctor Within 24 Hours
Contact Doctor During Office Hours
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Self Care at Home
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Go to ER Now
- Trouble breathing, and it is not from a blocked or stuffy nose
Call Doctor or Seek Care Now
- Redness or swelling on the cheek, forehead or around the eye
- Severe sinus pain or headache
- Weak immune system. Examples are: diabetes, sickle cell disease, HIV, cancer, organ transplant, taking oral steroids, kidney problems.
- You feel weak or very sick
- You think you need to be seen, and the problem is urgent
Contact Doctor Within 24 Hours
- Headache lasts more than 48 hours
- Fever or chills; feeling hot or shivery
- Fever lasts more than 3 days
- Fever returns after being gone for more than 24 hours
- Earache
- You think you need to be seen, but the problem is not urgent
Contact Doctor During Office Hours
- Sinus pain (not just pressure or fullness) lasts more than 24 hours, after using nasal washes
- Thick yellow or green pus draining from nose and not getting better with nasal washes. Exception: yellow or green-tinged secretions are normal.
- Sinus pressure and fullness lasts more than 10 days
- Runny nose lasts more than 10 days
- You have other questions or concerns
Self Care at Home
- Normal sinus congestion (stuffiness) as part of a cold
Care Advice for Stomach Pain
What You Should Know About Stomach Pain:
- Mild stomach pain can be caused by something simple. It could be from gas pains or eating too much.
- Sometimes, stomach pain signals the start of a viral infection. This will lead to vomiting or loose stools.
- Watching your child for 2 hours will help tell you the cause.
- Here is some care advice that should help.
Lie Down:
- Have your child lie down and rest until feeling better.
Clear Fluids:
- Offer clear fluids only (such as water, flat soft drinks or half-strength Gatorade).
- For mild pain, offer a regular diet.
Prepare for Vomiting:
- Keep a vomiting pan handy.
- Younger children often talk about stomach pain when they have nausea. Nausea is the sick stomach feeling that comes before they throw up.
Pass a Stool:
- Have your child sit on the toilet and try to pass a stool.
- This may help if the pain is from constipation or diarrhea.
- Note: for constipation, moving a warm wet cotton ball on the anus may help.
Do Not Give Medicines:
- Any drug (like ibuprofen) could upset the stomach and make the pain worse.
- Do not give any pain medicines or laxatives for stomach cramps.
- For fever higher than 102° F (39° C), acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) can be given.
What to Expect:
- With harmless causes, the pain is most often better or gone in 2 hours.
- With stomach flu, belly cramps may happen before each bout of vomiting or diarrhea. These cramps may come and go for a few days.
- With serious causes (such as appendicitis), the pain worsens and becomes constant.
Call Your Doctor If:
- Pain becomes severe
- Constant pain lasts more than 2 hours
- Mild pain that comes and goes lasts more than 24 hours
- You think your child needs to be seen
- Your child becomes worse
Extra Help - Worried Stomach:
- Help your child talk about events that trigger the stomach pain. Talk to your child about how to cope with these the next time around.
- Help your child worry less about things she can't control.
- To treat the pain, help your child get very relaxed. Lying down in a quiet place and taking slow deep breaths may help. Make the belly go up and down with each breath. Then try to relax all the muscles in the body. Think about something pleasant. Listening to audios that teach how to relax might also help.
- Make sure your child gets enough sleep.
- Make sure that your child doesn't miss any school because of stomach pains. Stressed children tend to want to stay home when the going gets rough.
- Caution: your child should see her doctor for an exam. Do this before concluding frequent stomach pains are from worrying too much.
