Pneumonia is an infection that causes the air sacs in the lungs to fill up with fluid or pus, making it harder to breathe. The most common symptoms include a cough, which may be dry or produce phlegm, fever, chills, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, chest pain, and shortness of breath.
Sometimes, a sinus infection occurs after an upper respiratory infection (URI) or a common cold that doesn’t seem to go away. The URI causes inflammation of the nasal passages, leading to obstruction of the paranasal sinuses’ openings. This can result in repeated cycles of infection and inflammation in the sinuses. Sinus blockage can be caused by various factors, including environmental, anatomical, or genetic factors, but it’s often due to swelling of the nasal passages caused by the common cold or allergies. Serious sinusitis can also result from structural issues, such as a deviated septum.
The main symptom of a sinus infection is painful pressure. Depending on the affected sinus, this pain can be in the forehead (frontal sinusitis), over the cheek or in the upper jaw and teeth (maxillary sinusitis), behind the eyes (ethmoid or sphenoid sinusitis), or at the top of the head (sphenoid sinusitis).
Acute sinusitis refers to a viral infection lasting 7 to 10 days, while a bacterial infection can last up to 4 weeks. Chronic sinusitis persists for 12 weeks or more, with inflammation lasting months or even years. Factors aggravating chronic sinusitis include common colds, viral infections, and a compromised immune system.
It’s common for a viral infection to be the cause of these symptoms. One particular concern is influenza, which can lead to increasingly severe breathing symptoms and result in pneumonia, especially during October through February.
If a sinus cavity becomes clogged, a bacterial infection may occur, potentially requiring antibiotic medication. Sinusitis often occurs as a complication of a common cold and can cause pressure in the face, nasal discharge, an unpleasant taste in the mouth, pain in the upper teeth, fever, sore throat, or cough.
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