Sinusitis: Frequently Asked Questions

Sinusitis Q&A by: Dr. Mustafa Kapadia, a Specialist Otolaryngologist (ENT Surgeon)

Sinusitis: Is it contagious?

A virus doesn’t always cause sinus infections. Sometimes bacteria or fungus could be the culprit. Suppose a virus causes it, then yes. In that case, it is contagious, and you can transmit the infection to the other person. Spreading the virus doesn’t mean a person can get sinusitis; they often get only cold and flu. Their cold may become a sinus infection, but this doesn’t always happen.

Are sinusitis and rhinitis the same?

No, both are different. Sinusitis is an inflammation and involvement of the mucosal lining of the sinus cavities. In contrast, rhinitis is an inflammation of the overall nasal cavity mucosa.

Are sinusitis and sinus infection the same?

Yes, both are the same. In both conditions, we get inflammation and mucosal swelling inside the sinuses. Usually, the sinus cavity is an air-filled space. When its drainage is blocked, virus/bacteria can multiply inside the cavity leading to sinus infection.

What are sinusitis symptoms?

To diagnose patients with sinusitis, they must be experiencing at least 2 of the following symptoms:

• Nasal blockage/ obstruction/ clogged nose
• Nasal discharge
• Headache
• Facial pain
• Loss/altered sense of smell
• Cough

How is sinusitis diagnosed?

Once you explain all your symptoms to your doctor, he will do a clinical examination to look inside your nose and sinuses using a rigid or flexible endoscope. He will look for any deviated nasal septum, mucus along the nasal floor or from the sinus openings, or any new bony growth or mass/ tumor. If required, the doctor might ask for radiological studies like an X-ray, CT scan, or MRI to confirm the diagnosis and plan further treatment.

What is sinusitis treatment?

Depending on the cause of the sinus infection, your doctor will recommend treatment. If it’s an allergy, he will prescribe anti-allergic medications like oral antihistamines, nasal decongestant drops, nasal steroid spray, or in some severe cases, immunotherapy. Suppose your sinus infection is due to a bacterial infection. In that case, a course of antibiotics and oral or nasal decongestants are usually prescribed. Suppose drug therapies have failed or you have severe nasal anatomical deformities leading to recurrent sinus infections. In that case, your doctor will recommend surgical treatment.

Can sinusitis cause fever?

Yes, if you are suffering from acute cases. Patients suffering from acute viral/ bacterial sinus infection might have a high fever during the initial first few days of their illness.

Can sinusitis cause dizziness?

No, usually, sinus/nose-related diseases don’t cause dizziness. However, dizziness is more commonly seen in patients suffering from ear diseases.

Can sinusitis affect your eyes?

Yes, It can cause pressure to build up behind the eyes, leading to pain in one or both eyes. It is also possible for the sinus infection to spread inside your orbit (eye socket), leading to pain in the eye, redness & swelling, bulging/ proptosis of the eye, double vision, and in some severe cases, loss of vision.

Can sinusitis cause migraines?

No, it has no relation to migraines. But most certainly, sinusitis can make migraine headaches more painful and frequent.

Can sinusitis cause loss of smell?

The sense of smell receptors is located high up inside the nose. When one has a cold/ flu/ sinus infection, there is swelling and a lot more mucous production inside the nose. The mucous and swelling in the nose prevent the smell (odorant) from reaching the top of the nasal cavity. Hence the smell never reaches the smell nerves, and the person cannot perceive any smell.

How sinusitis causes headaches?

The sinuses are air-filled spaces within the bones of the face and forehead that drains into the nasal cavity on both sides. We have four sets of sinuses on each side of the face which also helps to lighten the weight of our skull bones. Normally sinus cavities are empty, and their walls are lined by a very thin layer of mucus, which helps to trap viruses/bacteria. The sinuses need to be able to drain regularly and clearly to work efficiently. If the sinus opening is blocked for any reason, sinus problems result. In sinusitis, its cavity gets filled with thick mucus secretions, which creates a sense of pressure in your forehead, behind your eyes, on either side of your nose, and in your upper jaws and teeth.

Does saline nasal wash helpful during sinusitis?

Regular saline nasal irrigation is a helpful and effective treatment for most patients with sinusitis. It improves symptoms by improving the flow of thick mucus and potentially washing away irritants and allergens in the nose.

When doesn’t sinusitis go away?

Sinusitis can be caused by several reasons, such as a viral cold, a dental infection leading to sinusitis, nasal mass blocking sinus drainage, severe nasal allergies leading to nasal polyps, etc. Most often, a sinus infection is acute in onset and could be easily treated by a course of antibiotics, antihistamines, and nasal/oral steroids. However, in some cases, if your symptoms are persistent, you could have chronic sinusitis, and you need to consult an ENT to rule out the causes mentioned above. Your doctor will take the proper clinical history, perform nasal endoscopy, and ask for a CT scan of your sinuses to confirm/ rule out sinusitis. Then, depending on the cause of the sinus infection, he would prescribe medications or recommend surgical treatment.

Who can diagnose sinusitis?

Four pairs of sinuses are on each side of your face, which, when infected, lead to sinusitis. Whenever a person is suffering from persistent nasal blockage, nasal discharge, facial pain/ headache, or loss of sense of smell, then he/she should see an ENT doctor. ENT specialist will do a proper clinical examination, nasal endoscopy, and when required, a CT scan of the sinuses to diagnose and treat the condition.