Sinusitis means your sinuses are infected or inflamed. Your sinuses are hollow air spaces within the bones surrounding the nose. They produce mucus, which drains into the nose. If your nose is swollen, this can block the sinuses and cause pain and infection.
Sinusitis can be acute, lasting for less than four weeks, or chronic, lasting much longer. Acute sinusitis often starts as a cold, which then turns into a bacterial infection. Allergies, pollutants, nasal problems and certain diseases can also cause sinusitis.
Symptoms of sinusitis can include fever, weakness, fatigue, cough and congestion. There may also be mucus drainage in the back of the throat, called postnasal drip. Treatments include antibiotics, decongestants and pain relievers. Using heat pads on the inflamed area, saline nasal sprays and vaporizers can also help.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
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Sinus Infection (Sinusitis)
(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) - http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/topics/sinusitis/
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Sinusitis(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/infections/cold-flu/686.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/common/infections/cold-flu/686.printerview.html
- 20 Questions about Your Sinuses(American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery) - http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/sinuses.cfm
- Sinusitis(National Jewish Health) - http://www.nationaljewish.org/disease-info/diseases/allergy/about/conditions/sinusitis.aspx
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Computed Tomography (CT): Sinuses(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) - http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=sinusct&bhcp=1
Also available in Spanish http://www.radiologyinfo.org/sp/info.cfm?pg=sinusct
- Do I Have Sinusitis?(American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery) - http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/doIHaveSinusitis.cfm
- Introduction to Nasal Endoscopy(American Rhinologic Society) - http://american-rhinologic.org/patientinfo.introendoscopy.phtml
- Antibiotics and Sinusitis(American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery) - http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/antibiotics.cfm
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Decongestants: OTC Relief for Congestion(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/otc-center/otc-medicines/859.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/otc-center/otc-medicines/859.printerview.html
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Nasal Wash Treatment(National Jewish Health) - http://www.nationaljewish.org/disease-info/treatments/alt-ther/nasal-wash.aspx
Also available in Spanish http://www.nationaljewish.org/spanish/Nasal-Wash-Trtmnt-Spnsh.aspx
- Sinus Pain: Can Over-the-Counter Medications Help?(American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery) - http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/sinusPain.cfm
- Sinus Surgery(American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery) - http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/SinusSurgery.cfm
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Sinus Surgery
(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/sinussurgery/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/sinussurgeryspanish/htm/index.htm
- Acute Sinusitis(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/acute-sinusitis/DS00170/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- Chronic Sinusitis(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/chronic-sinusitis/DS00232/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- Fungal Sinusitis(American Rhinologic Society) - http://www.american-rhinologic.org/patientinfo.fungal.phtml
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JAMA Patient Page: Acute Sinusitis(American Medical Association) - http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/298/21/2576.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/data/298/21/2576/DC1/1
- Complications of Nasal and Sinus Surgery(American Rhinologic Society) - http://american-rhinologic.org/patientinfo.surgerycomplications.phtml
- Complications of Sinusitis(American Rhinologic Society) - http://www.american-rhinologic.org/patientinfo.sinusitiscomplications.phtml
- Headache and Sinus Disease(American Rhinologic Society) - http://american-rhinologic.org/patientinfo.headache.phtml
- Humidifiers: Vital Steps for Cleaning(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/humidifiers/HQ00076/METHOD=print
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Is It a Cold or Sinusitis?(Cleveland Clinic Foundation) - http://my.clevelandclinic.org/disorders/sinusitis/hic_is_it_a_cold_or_sinusitis.aspx
Also available in Spanish http://my.clevelandclinic.org/es_/disorders/sinusitis/hic_is_it_a_cold_or_sinusitis.aspx
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Nasal Sprays: How to Use Them Correctly(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/allergies/treatment/104.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/common/allergies/treatment/104.printerview.html
- Post-Nasal Drip(American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery) - http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/postNasalDrip.cfm
- What to Expect After Sinus Surgery(American Rhinologic Society) - http://www.american-rhinologic.org/patientinfo.expect.phtml
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Sinus Surgery(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/sinussurgery/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/sinussurgeryspanish/htm/index.htm
- Image Guidance Assisted Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery(OR-Live) - Requires media player - One hour program - http://www.or-live.com/distributors/NLM/rnh.cfm?id=168
- Brief Overview of Sinus and Nasal Anatomy(American Rhinologic Society) - http://american-rhinologic.org/patientinfo.sinusnasalanatomy.phtml
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Sinusitis(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Sinusitis%22
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: The role of allergy and smoking in chronic rhinosinusitis and... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18758323&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Matrix metalloproteinase-2 gene polymorphisms in nasal polyps. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18711060&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Expression of cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase enzymes in sinonasal mucosa of... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18711055&tool=MedlinePlus
- Sinusitis -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=sinusitis[majr]+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Rhinosinusitis: Terminology(American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology) - http://www.aaaai.org/patients/publicedmat/sinusitis/sinusterminology.stm
- Find an Otolaryngologist (ENT)(American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery) - http://www.entnet.org//findanentmore.cfm
- American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology - http://www.aaaai.org/
- American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery - http://www.entnet.org/
- American Rhinologic Society - http://www.american-rhinologic.org/
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National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases - http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/
- FASTATS: Chronic Sinusitis(National Center for Health Statistics) - http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/sinuses.htm
- Pediatric Sinusitis(American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery) - http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/pediatricSinusitis.cfm
- Sinusitis(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/bacterial_viral/sinusitis.html
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When Sinuses Attack!(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/kid/ill_injure/sick/sinuses.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/kid/en_espanol/enfermadades/sinuses_esp.html
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Sinusitis(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/infections/common/sinusitis.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/teen/en_espanol/infecciones/sinusitis_esp.html
- Sinusitis: Special Considerations for Aging Patients(American Academy of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery) - http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/agingSinusitisPatients.cfm
- Allergy - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/allergy.html
- Common Cold - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/commoncold.html
- Headache - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/headache.html
- Ear, Nose and Throat - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/earnoseandthroat.html
- Infections - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/infections.html
- Lungs and Breathing - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/lungsandbreathing.html
- Seniors - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/seniors.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Sinusitis is the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases - http://www.niaid.nih.gov/