Symptoms and impact on daily life

CRS can cause different problems. These symptoms are not the same for everyone and can change over time. To have CRS, you need to have at least two symptoms that last 12 weeks in a row without getting better. These symptoms can include:

Stuffy or blocked nose which may make it hard to breathe through the nose

Mucus that drips out of your nose (runny nose) or drips down the back of your throat (postnasal drip)

Difficulties smelling things

Pain in your face or headache

Facial pain or headache without nasal symptoms is not a sign of CRS.

Apart from the typical symptoms, you might also notice:

  • Pain in your ears or teeth
  • A sore throat
  • Bad breath
  • Feeling very tired or cranky
  • Reduced hearing

These symptoms can make it hard to sleep. If you don’t sleep well, you might feel very tired during the day. This can make school, work, or daily tasks harder. If you feel like CRS impacts your mental health (feeling anxious, depressed, or makes it hard to enjoy things), do talk about it with your doctor.

It is important to know that lingering symptoms are not normal and can often be improved with the right treatment. If you are worried about your symptoms, do not hesitate to reach out to your doctor. CRS is not “a common cold that just won’t clear”.

When should you visit a general/family doctor (GP)?

  • If you have two or more symptoms that last 12 weeks or longer.
  • If your sinus problems do not get better after trying things like rinsing your nose with saline (salt water solution), nasal corticosteroid spray/drops or following the advice from your pharmacist.
  • If you have chest symptoms as well, or worsening asthma.
  • If you have a rash as well as CRS symptoms.
  • If your hearing is badly affected.
  • If you think something other than CRS might be causing your symptoms.
  • If you want a clear diagnosis and a plan for treatment.

When should you visit a specialist doctor?

  • If your symptoms do not get better after trying treatments like nasal rinses or corticosteroid nasal sprays for 3 months.
  • If you need special tests, like a nasal endoscopy or a CT scan

When should you see a doctor right away?

Apart from long-lasting symptoms, there can also be signs that mean you need help quickly. These are called red-flag symptoms and mean you need to see a doctor right away. They include:

  • Sudden, very bad pain in your face or head
  • Vision problems, like blurry sight or seeing double
  • Swelling, redness, or pain around your eyes
  • Swelling of your forehead
  • A very bad headache or a stiff neck
  • Feeling confused, very sleepy, or acting strangely
  • Feeling extremely unwell
  • If your symptoms affect only one side of your nose or face and last longer than 4 weeks

In rare cases, serious infections in your sinuses can spread to other parts of your body. If an infection spreads to an eye it can lead to vision problems. In rare cases, a sinus infection can also spread to the brain (causing brain abscesses or meningitis), skin (cellulitis) or bone (osteomyelitis).

I seem to have other respiratory symptoms as well?

People with CRS often have other conditions, called comorbidities. These are diseases that occur together with CRS and may lead to other symptoms.

One important thing to understand is that CRS can affect your lungs. If you have trouble breathing, coughing, wheezing, or tightness in your chest, you must tell your doctor. These could be signs of asthma, which often happens alongside sinus issues. Asthma is a condition where the airways in your lungs become narrow and make breathing difficult. Similar to CRS, it involves long-lasting inflammation.

In addition to asthma, CRS patients are more likely to experience other conditions, including:

  • Allergic rhinitis (hay fever): This is an allergy that can cause sneezing, a runny nose, and itchy or watery eyes. In patients with CRS, hay fever can worsen nasal symptoms like congestion and swelling.
  • NSAID-exacerbated respiratory disease (N-ERD): A condition where taking aspirin or other pain killers (NSAIDs) worsens respiratory symptoms, such as a blocked nose, sinus inflammation, or even asthma attacks. It is often associated with Nasal Polyp Syndrome (CRSwNP).
  • Chronic cough: This means a cough that does not go away and lasts for three weeks or more. Even though the link is not fully understood, having a long-term cough and chronic sinus problems (CRS) often happen together.
  • COPD: About one in five people with COPD also have CRS. COPD is a lung condition where the tiny airways and lungs are damaged. In most cases, this is the result of inhaling smoke or polluted air as a child or as an adult. Many people with COPD who have CRS do not even know it—up to 80% of cases go undiagnosed.

These and other conditions might warrant further investigations by other specialists, like a lung specialist, eye specialist, allergologist, dermatologist, neurologist, dentist, or psychiatrist.

Managing these conditions alongside CRS improves your overall health and can help you manage CRS. If you suspect you have any of these, it is important to discuss them with your doctor.

Be sure to stay tuned as an entire module on asthma will be the next condition that we launch later this year on EUFOREA’s Patient Portal.

The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images, and other material contained on this website is for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. EUFOREA is not a medical organisation and cannot provide specific medical advice to patients via the Internet and/or E-mail. All patients are encouraged to direct their specific questions to their personal physicians. EUFOREA presents this information to patients so that patients can understand and participate in their own medical care. EUFOREA strongly emphasises that the information contained on this website is not a substitute for thorough evaluation and treatment by a qualified healthcare provider.

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