We’ve all felt it, that annoying post nasal drip, tired, run down, sore throat, stuffed up, even feverish. It’s easy to shrug it off as a common cold or flu, but it may be sinusitis, or a sinus infection. Before you get over the counter medication, check for these symptoms of a sinus infection.
Unfortunately, the symptoms of a common cold mimic that of a sinusitis. But if you are one of the 37 million Americans who are afflicted with painful sinus inflammation every year, you are constantly on guard when it comes to a runny nose, congestion, and facial pain. Hoping it doesn’t lead to another debilitating sinus infection. This is what makes sinusitis a prevalent chronic illnesses.
1. Inflamed Sinuses
What is the difference between the common cold and a sinus infection? An inflammation of the sinuses. Which can present itself as severe pressure that feels like a throbbing or dull pain behind the eyes, or pain where your sinuses are located, nasal bones, behind the forehead, and cheeks.
2. Congestion
When the pathways connecting the nasal passages to the sinuses become so blocked with mucus, that they can’t drain. They end up with pressure and pressure on the facial nerves.
3. Tooth Pain
Common in sinus infections is a pain in the top teeth. It can feel like you have a toothache, due to the pressure from the inflammation in the sinuses.
4. Dizziness
It is easy to feel off balance when you stand up quickly or tilt your head forward, when you’re congested or sinus membranes or inflamed. Clogged nasal passages can cause weaken coordination and dizziness.
5. Sore Throat and Cough
Post nasal drip can result when the sinuses become inflamed and swollen, mucus builds up and slowly drips down the back of the throat. “The trickle of fluid can irritate the throat (especially over longer periods of time) and produce a cough. When an individual lies down at night, there is an increase in the flow of fluid down the back of the throat, which can make the cough worse,” Medical News Today.
Check back with us next week for more symptoms of a sinus infection. Until then, if you are suffering from the pain, pressure, congestion, and fatigue from chronic sinus problems, it is time to contact Orlando Ears, Nose & Throat.
