What are the signs and symptoms of sinus infection?
Commonly the symptoms of sinus infection are headache, facial tenderness, pressure or pain, and fever. However, as few as 25% of patients may have fever associated with acute sinus infection. Other common symptoms include: • cloudy, discolored nasal drainage, • a feeling of nasal stuffiness, • sore throat, and • cough. Some people notice an increased sensitivity or headache when they lean forward because of the additional pressure placed on the sinuses. Others may experience tooth or ear pain, fatigue, or bad breath. In noninfectious sinusitis, other associated allergy symptoms of itching eyes and sneezing may be common, but may include some of the symptoms listed above for infectious sinusitis. Nasal drainage is usually clear or whitish-colored in people with noninfectious sinusitis. How is sinus infection diagnosed? Sinus infection is most often diagnosed based on a history and examination made by a doctor. Because plain X-ray studies of the sinuses may be misleading and procedures s
