Symptoms of sinusitis⁴

The main symptoms of sinusitis include: 

• A blocked or runny noise (main symptom)
• Pain, swelling and tenderness around the cheeks, eyes or forehead
• A reduced sense of smell
• Green or yellow mucus from the nose
• A high temperature

Other symptoms may include: 

• A headache
• Toothace
• Bad breath
• A cough
• A feeling or pressure in the ears

Self-care advice and OTC treatment

The vast majority of cases of sinusitis will be viral; only 2 in 100 cases are  complicated by bacterial infection. Most cases will get better without the need for antibiotics, but infections can take 2-3 weeks to resolve.⁴ Therefore, some customers may require symptom relief.

You can advise customers to manage their symptoms by:⁴

• Taking painkillers, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen (do not give aspirin to children under 16)
• Cleaning the inside of their nose with a salt water solution
• Using decongestant nasal sprays, tablets or drops to unblock the nose (decongestants should NOT be used by children under 6 years)

You should also advise them to:⁴

• Get plenty of rest
• Drink plenty of fluids
• Avoid things that may trigger allergies as this may increase inflammation
• Not smoke

If a customer has two or more specific symptoms (see flow chart) and has been suffering for more than 10 days you can refer them to the Pharmacy First service (if available).