If you’ve ever had allergic sinusitis, you know it starts with a runny nose and itchy eyes after spending some time outdoors. After a couple of days, the nose is still stuffy and the pressure on your cheeks and forehead is so intense that you can’t even look around or move your head without agony.
But it can be difficult to know if that's true allergic rhinitis because the symptoms of allergic sinusitis and other types of sinusitis share some similar traits. However, there are some fundamental differences in what causes them and how you should treat them.
Sinuses are hollow, air-filled cavities that are located within the bones behind your cheeks, forehead, nose, and eyes.
They warm and moisten air, capture particles from the air you breathe and create mucus, which traps bacteria and other germs to eliminate them from the body.
Your sinuses can get irritated and hold mucus instead of emptying it normally when you have a cold or allergy attack. Nasal congestion can cause sinus discomfort and headaches in certain people. It could be part of a larger allergic reaction.
Let’s look at some risk factors for sinus inflammation:
The common cold
Hay fever
Bacterial and viral infections
Fungal infection
Dry air, cold air, barometric pressure
Spicy foods
Perfumes
Nasal polyps
Deviated septum
There are some differences between allergies and sinus infections. Allergy sufferers can have one or a combination of the following symptoms:
Sneezing
Stuffy nose
Runny nose
Mucus in the throat
Throat clearing
Itchy eyes
Watery eyes
Bloodshot eyes
Puffy eyes
Itchy nose
Itchy ears
Itchiness on the roof of the mouth
Wheezing
Sinus infection
Anyone who has experienced a sinus infection knows how severe the pain is in their cheeks and forehead. There are other symptoms that can accompany this condition. These include:
Thick yellow-green mucus
Headache
Drippy nose
Bad tasting post nasal drip
Bad breath
Cough
Congestion
Tooth pain
Fever
Loss of taste or smell
So, allergic sinusitis and infectious sinusitis have lots of differences, and knowing them can help you understand what type of sinusitis you have.
Sinusitis can be either acute or long-term. Acute sinusitis is an inflammation of the sinuses caused by bacteria or a virus that lasts for a short time. If symptoms disappear less than 4 to 8 weeks, it’s considered acute sinusitis.
If bacteria are causing your symptoms, you usually don’t feel relief within ten days of getting sick or you get worse, even if you felt better early on. When a virus is to blame, you’re ill for less than ten days and it doesn’t usually worsen.
Long-term sinusitis stems from prolonged inflammation since the nose and sinuses overreact to a potential infection. In most cases, there isn’t an infection.
Stopping seasonal allergies in their tracks by avoiding or at least limiting your exposure is the best strategy to prevent allergy-related sinusitis. If things like dust, mold, and pet dander are waging war on your nose, you should take action to decrease or eradicate indoor allergies.
Still, allergy symptoms can provoke inflammation of the sinuses. So what to do if you’re experiencing allergies and sinusitis?
The best way to get relief is with anti-inflammatory therapy. This can include saline sinus irrigations and nasal steroid sprays.
OTC pain relievers can help you deal with pain and fever. But if you also have bacterial infection, crossover allergy medicines appropriate for allergy and sinus infections might be the best option for you. Nasal steroid sprays, sinus or nasal saline rinses, and decongestants, along with antibiotics will kill the bacteria and help you improve symptoms.
However, if sinusitis is severe and doesn’t respond to any treatments, doctors recommend a sinus surgery.
