Sinusitis; chronic

Alternative names:

chronic sinus infection; chronic sinusitis

Symptoms:

Symptoms may persist for 3 months or more.

• headache (in the front of the head or around the eyes)
• facial pain around the eyes or in the forehead or cheeks
• pain in the roof of the mouth or teeth
• nasal drainage (yellow, yellow-green, thick)
• fever, chills that persist
• general ill feeling
• fatigue
• sweating, especially during the night
• involuntary weight loss
• cough

Signs and tests:

Percussion over a sinus shows tenderness. Transillumination (examination by shining a light against the sinus) may indicate sinusitis.

A CBC shows chronic infection. A culture of drainage from the sinuses may show bacteria, a virus, or fungus. Sinus or head X-rays, cranial CT scan, or cranial MRI show sinusitis or thickening of the membranes of the sinus.