Help for a sinus infection

If a cold or upper respiratory infection lingers long enough, it may turn into a sinus infection known as sinusitis. Symptoms can include a runny nose and nasal congestion accompanied by pain, swelling, and pressure around the eyes, nose, cheeks or forehead that gets worse when bending over.

A sinus infection is inflammation of the sinuses—the spaces inside your nose and head. When the sinuses are swollen, they can’t drain, causing mucus to build up.

“A typical sinus infection is caused by the common cold, or most common viruses out there, typically lasting anywhere from three days to seven days. And it typically goes away on its own,” says Dr. Jesse Bracamonte, a Mayo Clinic family physician.

He says there are some simple home treatments you can do to ease the symptoms, such as drinking plenty of fluids, taking over-the-counter pain relievers and decongestants, and using a saline nasal rinse or nasal spray. When it comes to sinus infections, in general, he says time is often the best medicine.

“But if somehow you start getting better and then start getting worse and feel more facial pressure— it can be tooth pressure, fever, a lot of facial pain, fatigue—after a period of a week, you should seek care and get evaluated by a clinician,” says Dr. Bracamonte.

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