The sinuses are such a complex part of our bodies that not many people are fully aware of where they are or how they work. However, an infected sinus can be a very frustrating thing, which is why we’ve gathered a list of five of the most common symptoms below:
1. Your face hurts
Soreness is usually an indication that you really gave your muscles a challenge. But if it’s your face that’s sore, you might have a problem. According to Edwin F. Williams, III, MD, FACS, president of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, facial pain may be a sign that your sinuses are infected and blocked.
2. Your teeth ache
A toothache may not be due to problems with your teeth at all. In fact, “dental pain is probably the most overlooked sinus infection symptom,” according to Eugene Chio, MD, an otolaryngologist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. “This is usually related to a maxillary (or cheek) sinusitis as the upper tooth roots will often extend close to the sinus.”
3. You can’t get rid of your headache
Many different issues can cause a headache: too much movement, dehydration or even just being tired. However, if you’ve had a chronic headache for a number of days, then pressure may be a sign that you have a sinus infection. If you think this may be the case, visit your doctor since most sinus infections are viral and won’t respond to antibiotics.
4. You can’t smell
If you’re having trouble smelling both sweet scents and nasty odors, then you may have a sinus infection. “Loss of sense of smell can occur with sinusitis from the inflammation around the olfactory, or smell, organ,” Dr. Chio says. That’s why such symptoms indicate that you’re beginning to come down with a potential sinus infection.
5. You feel far too much pressure
If you wake up and find that your head feels cloudy, heavy, and generally uncomfortable, then your sinuses may be to blame. Dr. Williams explains that before your sinuses get infected, they first start off being blocked. This uncomfortable blockage is what leads all of that tension to build up and feel intense, potentially signposting that more sinus infections symptoms will be coming your way shortly.
