A stuffy nose, yellow runny nose, and the symptoms of runny nose running down the back of the throat are typical symptoms of ‘sinusitis’, commonly called sinusitis. However, it can be sinusitis even if there are no symptoms such as runny nose or stuffy nose. Because there are cases where cough or headache appears without these symptoms. We looked into sinusitis, which appears with various symptoms, with two Hydak specialists.
Q. Sinusitis, what kind of disease is it?
The sinuses are empty spaces in the bones of the face around the nose, and these spaces are connected to the inside of the nose through small openings called natural pores. It is responsible for ventilation of air and excretion of secretions. Sinusitis is a condition in which this natural cavity is blocked and the sinuses do not function properly, causing inflammation in the sinuses, and the inflammation worsens as a yellow runny nose accumulates.
According to the duration of symptoms, it is classified as acute if it is less than 3 weeks and chronic if it is more than 3 months. In most cases, viral infection or allergic rhinitis occurs first, followed by secondary bacterial infection.
– Hidak Otolaryngology Consultant Lee Sang-deok (Hana Otolaryngology Hospital)
Q. Is coughing one of the symptoms of sinusitis?
Sinusitis usually causes nasal congestion, yellow runny nose, and post-nasal drip symptoms in which the nose passes behind the throat. Occasionally, a chronic cough appears due to sinusitis, and sometimes there is only a cough without common nasal congestion or yellow runny nose.
Coughing is important to determine the duration of the symptoms. Several causes can be considered, depending on how long it lasts and whether the sputum is mixed in. In addition to sinusitis, cough has various causes, such as reflux disease, bronchitis, pneumonia, and tuberculosis, so it is recommended to get tested.
– Hidak Otolaryngology Consultant Lee Sang-deok (Hana Otolaryngology Hospital)
Q. I have sinusitis. I recently had a headache… Is it because of sinusitis?
Headaches are not necessarily associated with rhinitis, but problems in the nasal passages can cause them. Headaches caused by structural problems in the nose are called ‘non-nasal headaches’. First, if you look at the headache related to the nose, a headache may occur when there is sinusitis (sinusitis) in the frontal ethmoid sinus, and even if the nose is blocked due to rhinitis or a deviated septum, a dull head or headache may appear.
Structurally, the nasal septum is sharply curved and can cause headaches even if it irritates the mucous membranes in the nasal passages. Also, since nasal congestion itself acts as a stressor to the body, these can also cause headaches.
In addition, since there are so many different causes of headaches, it cannot be said that the nose is necessarily the cause, but if the headache and the structural problems of the nose are accompanied, it may be a good way to think regarding the possibility of a non-nasal headache and solve these causes. .
– Hidak Otolaryngology Consulting Doctor Changhyo Kim (Samsung Dream Otolaryngology Clinic)
* This article has been reconstructed from a Hidak expert’s answer.
Help = Hidak Consulting Doctor Lee Sang-deok (Hana Otolaryngology Hospital, otolaryngology specialist), Hidak Consulting Doctor Changhyo Kim (Samsung Dream Otolaryngology Clinic otolaryngology specialist)
