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PRIMARY CARE SERVICES

Diagnosis & Treatment

Sinus Infection (Sinusitis)

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How Is a Sinus Infection Diagnosed?

Diagnosis

It can be hard to tell the difference between a cold, a sinus infection, and allergies. To make a diagnosis, your primary care doctor will ask about your symptoms, including when they started, and do a physical exam. The exam includes looking into your ears, nose, and throat for signs of swelling or discharge. The doctor also may press on your sinuses to check for tenderness.

If your symptoms have lasted 12 weeks or more, or if you have had recurring symptoms over the course of a year, you may have chronic (long-term) sinusitis. Your doctor may order further tests, including:

  • Imaging tests, such as CT or MRI, to diagnose deep inflammation or blockage in the sinuses
  • Endoscopy, inserting a thin tube into your nose and sinuses to look for physical abnormalities
  • Allergy tests, to determine what you are allergic to, if anything
  • Cultures of mucous samples to test for bacteria or fungi

How can a primary care doctor help?

A primary care doctor will assess the severity of your sinus infection, make a diagnosis, and help you get effective sinusitis treatment. Your primary care doctor can also:

  • Discuss at-home treatments to address symptoms and make you more comfortable
  • Prescribe appropriate antibiotics if you have a bacterial infection
  • Order further tests
  • Refer you to a specialist such as an ear, nose, and throat doctor (ENT) or allergist
  • Work with you on a treatment plan for other conditions that make you susceptible to repeated or chronic sinus infections

How Is a Sinus Infection Treated?

Treament

Most of the time a sinus infection caused by a virus gets better on its own in one to two weeks. Home sinusitis treatments, like over-the-counter pain medicine, can help you feel more comfortable. However, if symptoms of sinus infections persist for more than 10 days, or if they worsen, other treatments may be needed.

Medications for mild sinusitis (over the counter)

  • Decongestants reduce the swelling of the mucous membranes in the nose. Some examples are oxymetazoline (such as Afrin) and phenylephrine (such as Neo-Synephrine).
  • Analgesics relieve pain. They include acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) and ibuprofen (such as Advil).
  • Corticosteroids reduce inflammation in the nasal passages. Examples include beclomethasone (Beconase) and mometasone (Nasonex). Most of the time, they are used as a nasal spray.
  • Mucolytics thin mucus. One example is guaifenesin (such as Robitussin).

Medications for severe sinusitis (prescription)

  • Antibiotics to kill bacteria. Examples are amoxicillin with clavulanate and cefdinir.
  • Antifungal treatment for fungal infections.
  • Injected medications that reduce the size of nasal polyps, such as dupilumab or omalizumab.

Surgery

Very few people need surgery to treat sinus infections. However, it may be an option when chronic sinusitis does not improve with medicines. Surgery is done with an endoscope, a thin, flexible tube with a light and camera attached. With this and other instruments, the doctor might remove polyps or other tissue blocking the sinuses, or enlarge the sinus opening to help it drain.

Sinus Infection Treatment at Home

Many home remedies and over-the-counter medicines can help relieve the pain and discomfort of a sinus infection:

  • Warm compresses or heat pads on the nose and forehead, to relieve pressure
  • Saline (salt water) nasal sprays
  • Breathing steam from a hot shower or a bowl of hot water
  • Vaporizers
  • Decongestants
  • Corticosteroid nasal sprays
  • Pain relievers such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen
  • Antihistamines, if you have allergies

FAQs

FAQs

A runny, stuffy nose and facial pain caused by a viral sinus infection usually get better after a week or two. A bacterial sinus infection typically lasts longer, up to 12 weeks or more. Bacterial sinus infections are treated with antibiotics.

The viruses that cause viral sinus infections can be spread through sneezing and coughing. Bacterial and fungal sinusitis may also be contagious.

Prevent sinus infections by washing hands frequently, avoiding contact with people who are sick, and managing allergies.

Recurrent sinus infections can happen when you have structures in the nose that block mucus from draining, such as polyps or a deviated septum. Long-term exposure to irritants like cigarette smoke or air pollution also can lead to recurrent sinus infections.

As long as symptoms persist, the virus that causes viral sinus infections may spread and cause others to become sick. Bacterial and fungal sinusitis may also be contagious.

To help a sinus infection get better on its own, drink plenty of water and use a salt water (saline) spray to keep the nose moist. Corticosteroid nasal sprays may help too, such as fluticasone (Flonase and others) and mometasone (Nasonex). Follow directions carefully

Sinus infections can cause fever, but they do not always cause fever.

Yes, sinus infections can make you feel tired.

Sinus infections happen when the nasal passages become inflamed. The tissue inside the sinuses swells up, blocking the drainage of mucus and creating a place for germs to grow.

Get Care

Trust NewYork-Presbyterian for Sinus Infection Treatment

NewYork-Presbyterian’s experienced primary care doctors are available for appointments during early, late, and weekend hours. Schedule a video visit or an in-person consultation for sinus infection at one of our convenient medical group locations . Our physicians diagnose and treat all types of sinus infection, depending on your symptoms, and can make referrals to NewYork-Presbyterian specialists if further testing or care is needed.