Sinus Symptoms on World Sinus Awareness Day

On the 28th September it is World Sinus Awareness Day 2022. So, this is the perfect time to share with you a little more about the sinus symptoms that you might want to look out for. The causes of nasal and sinus symptoms can be many and varied - whatever is making you feel the way you do, the best place to start is in understanding what’s behind the symptoms. So, these are some of the most common conditions that can affect your sinuses, as well as the symptoms that are likely to arise.

• Asthma. Tightness or a pain in the chest, as well as wheezing, when you breathe, a cough and shortness of breath are all symptoms that you can expect with asthma. It’s a condition that tends to run in families and in adults it can be triggered by something like a common cold.
• A chronic cough. The definition of a chronic cough is one that has been there for more than eight weeks. This could be the result of something like bronchitis or it might be triggered by gastrointestinal reflux.
• Dysgeusia. This is a condition that means that you’re not able to taste in the normal way. Instead, everything will taste sweet, sour, bitter or metallic to you.
• Rhinitis. This is another name for the common cold and includes many symptoms that affect the sinuses, including sneezing, a runny nose and a blocked nose.
• Sinusitis and Acute Sinusitis. The hollow spaces around the nose are called the sinuses and these connect directly to the nose via small, narrow channels. Viruses or bacteria can affect the sinuses - the body’s reaction to this is to cause the sinus lining to swell up and mucus and pus may fill the cavities. Symptoms include a blocked nose, a feeling of pain or pressure around the face and cold symptoms that tend to go on and on. Acute sinusitis is sinusitis that lasts for more than a month.
• Fungal sinusitis. If you have fungal sinusitis then you will have all the symptoms just described but these are caused by a fungus, rather than virus or bacteria.
• A sinus headache. This is a feeling of pain or pressure over the cheeks, forehead or between or behind the eyes. It does not necessarily mean that you have a sinus disorder if you get headaches like this but it can be associated with migraines and tension headaches.
• Post-nasal drip. Our body normally works so that we unconsciously swallow mucus without having to think about it. When mucus gathers in the throat or drips from the back of the nose it’s called a post-nasal drip. Frequent swallowing and throat clearing, a sore throat and feeling mucus drip down your throat are all symptoms.
• Hyposmia. If you suffer from Hyposmia then you will have a decreased sense of smell. Anosmia means that you’re unable to smell anything at all.

These are some of the most common sinus symptoms that many of us suffer from - and the conditions that trigger them.

Harley Street is the UK's foremost private medical centre which is dedicated to providing high-quality care for your ear, nose, throat, head & neck, and balance-related disorders. Find out more information on how Harley Street ENT can help you here.