Sinusitis (sinus infection)

Sinusitis is common after a cold or flu.

The main symptoms of sinusitis include:

  • pain, swelling and tenderness around your cheeks, eyes or forehead
  • a blocked or runny nose
  • a reduced sense of smell
  • green or yellow mucus from your nose
  • a high temperature

Other symptoms include:

  • a headache
  • toothache
  • bad breath
  • a cough
  • a feeling of pressure in the ears

You may also snore at night and sound nasal when you speak.

Young children may also be irritable, have difficulty feeding and breathe through their mouth.

You can usually treat mild sinusitis yourself by:

  • getting plenty of rest
  • drinking plenty of fluids
  • taking painkillers, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen (do not give aspirin to children under 16)
  • avoiding things that trigger your allergies
  • not smoking
  • cleaning your nose with a salt water solution

If you have a high temperature or you do not feel well enough to do your normal activities, try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people until you feel better.

See a pharmacist if:

  • you think you have sinusitis
  • your child is aged 12 years or older and you think they have sinusitis

A pharmacist can give the same treatments as a GP for sinusitis. They can also give advice or direct you to other medical help if needed.

Find a pharmacy

See a GP if:

You, or a child, have sinusitis symptoms and:

  • you do not get better after 7 days of treatment from a pharmacy or GP
  • you do not get better after 3 weeks of treating symptoms yourself
  • you keep getting sinusitis
  • your child is aged 11 years or younger

Ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 if:

You, or a child, has sinusitis symptoms and:

  • you are very unwell
  • painkillers do not help or symptoms get worse
  • you have a weakened immune system – for example, because you're having chemotherapy

You can call 111 or get help from 111 online. Call 111 if you need advice for a child under 5 years old.

If your sinusitis needs treatment, a pharmacist or GP may prescribe medicines such as:

Rarely, you may need antibiotics. This is not common as sinusitis is usually caused by a virus, not bacteria.

A GP may refer you to see an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist if you:

  • still have sinusitis after 3 months of treatment
  • keep getting sinusitis
  • only have symptoms on 1 side of your face

An ENT specialist may recommend surgery for some people.

Surgery for sinusitis

Surgery to treat chronic sinusitis is called functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS).

FESS is carried out under general anaesthetic (where you're asleep).

The surgeon can widen your sinuses by either:

  • removing some of the blocked tissue
  • inflating a tiny balloon in the blocked sinuses, then removing it