What You Should Know About Sinus Disease and Disorders

The average adult has two to three colds per year. They are most frequently caused by rhinovirus, and the common cold typically lasts for seven to 10 days. If cold symptoms last for more than seven to 10 days and/or symptoms worsen prior to seven days, there may be a bacterial infection often requiring antibiotics.

Acute sinus infections (symptoms lasting less than a month) are usually caused by viral upper respiratory infections (URI) and occasionally from bacterial infections. Chronic sinus disease (symptoms lasting an extended period of time) is a more complex inflammatory disorder that has multiple associated risk factors. These include asthma, aspirin sensitivity, environmental allergies, smoking, environmental or occupational irritants or pollutants, cystic fibrosis, immune deficiencies, systemic inflammatory diseases, dental infections, or anatomic abnormalities.

Having symptoms on only one side of your nose or face can be normal during an acute infection but should clear as the infection improves. If these one-sided symptoms last for longer than a normal cold, this could possibly indicate a structural abnormality of the nasal cavity such as septal deviation, nasal collapse, tumor, polyp, or dental infection. These and other severe symptoms, such as shortness of breath, debilitating pain, swollen eyes, vision changes, high fever, severely stiff neck, and/or mental confusion should be treated by an ENT specialist.