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What are the chances of acquiring sinus infection after severe cold?

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Patient's Query

Hello doctor,

Is it normal to get sinus (its symptoms) after a severe cold for more than five days? I have the symptoms of 1. Nasal congestion. 2. Pressure or plugged ears. 3. Pain in the right side of the face.

Hello,

Welcome in icliniq.com.

About your query having a chain of symptoms for cold to sinusitis is correct, and here I would like to tell you the underlying pathology in this development is as under. Initially, the patient develops cold that may be allergic or infective. If anyhow cold gets prolonged, the nearby sinuses start developing an infection due to loss of ciliary movement of their lining mucosa. In this way, sinusitis develops, as soon as sinusitis appears, which in turn secretes mucus that remains collected in the sinus cavity, and the patient feels heaviness in the head and later headache. The collection of sinuses than move to the nasal cavity and move posteriorly to the throat that is named as postnasal drip. By this drip, soreness appears in the throat and from here (throat) there is a tubular connection to the middle ear (eustachian tube) which gives way the infection to reach to the middle ear and at this stage patient feels clogged ear. Similarly in treatment 1. Treat the infection of nose and sinus (by suitable antibiotic). 2. Liquefy the collected fluid (by steam inhalation). 3. Treat the swelling of inflammation by anti-inflammatory drugs to restore the ciliary movement of cilia of lining mucosa. I hope your query is answered, but if still, anything is not clear, please free to re-consult us.

Medically reviewed byDr. Nithila. A

Published At September 16, 2019
Reviewed AtJuly 24, 2023

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