Sinusitis: The Never-Ending Head Cold
It’s common for people to mistake sinusitis for a persistent cold, because of the significant overlap in symptoms, such as nasal congestion, runny nose, headaches, and fatigue. But while a cold typically resolves within a week or two, sinusitis (especially when chronic) can linger for months, leading many to believe they’re stuck with a never-ending cold.
Why Do I Have a Never Ending Cold?
If you have a cold that does not go away after 2 weeks, it might not actually be a cold. You could be experiencing allergies or a sinus infection (sinusitis). Sometimes, what starts as a cold or allergies turns into sinusitis. Without proper treatment, it’s possible that your symptoms will persist, leading to the “never ending cold”.
What is Sinusitis?
Sinusitis is an inflammation or swelling of the tissue lining the sinuses, the hollow spaces in the bones around your nose. Normally, these sinuses are filled with air, but when they become blocked, they can fill with mucus, leading to discomfort and infection.
What Causes Sinusitis?
Sinusitis happens when the tissue lining your sinuses becomes inflamed or swollen. When the sinuses can’t drain properly, mucus builds up, creating the perfect environment for bacteria or viruses to grow. The sinuses can get blocked due to infection (including viral infections, like the common cold), allergies, asthma, anatomical factors (like a deviated septum or nasal polyps) or other conditions.
These Never Ending Cold Symptoms Could Be a Sign of Sinusitis:
- Nasal congestion or blockage
- Thick, discolored nasal discharge
- Facial pain or pressure, particularly around the eyes, nose, and forehead
- Reduced sense of smell and taste
- Headache, often worsening when bending forward
- Fatigue and general malaise
- Cough, which may worsen at night
- Sore throat from post nasal drip
- Ear pressure or fullness
- Bad breath
If you are experiencing some or all of these symptoms and they do not go away after two weeks, you should contact an ENT (ear, nose and throat) doctor. Sinusitis is treated by reducing nasal inflammation and improving sinus drainage. That also requires treating the underlying condition that is causing the blockage in your sinuses. Your ENT doctor will be able to diagnose the root cause of your sinusitis and provide the appropriate treatment.
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Acute Vs Chronic Sinusitis
Acute sinusitis is a short-term inflammation of the sinuses, often caused by a viral infection like the common cold. Symptoms of acute sinusitis usually last less than four weeks. If symptoms persist for 12 weeks or more (even with treatment), you are experiencing chronic sinusitis. This is often caused by ongoing issues such as environmental irritants like allergies, structural problems, or repeated infections. Because the root issue is not fully resolved, the sinus infection persists.
Sinusitis Treatment
Non-surgical management of chronic sinusitis includes antibiotics, decongestants, as well as topical systemic steroids. Symptoms of chronic sinusitis may be less severe than those of acute infection and oftentimes require surgery to improve sinus drainage. At Northwest ENT, we offer minimally invasive surgical procedures to unblock your sinuses and improve drainage, including balloon sinuplasty and functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS).