Sinusitis is inflammation of the sinuses, the air spaces in the bones around your nose, cheeks and eyes. Doctors also call it rhinosinusitis. It often follows a cold. Most people get better on their own within 1 to 2 weeks.
Emergency
Call triple zero (000) or go to your nearest emergency department if you have sinus symptoms and:
- swelling, redness or pain around one or both eyes
- blurred vision, double vision, or pain or trouble moving your eye
- a severe headache with a stiff neck, confusion, drowsiness, a seizure (fit) or new weakness
- a high fever, shivers or vomiting, and you feel very unwell
- new swelling on your forehead
These signs can mean the infection has spread to the eye, bone or brain. This is rare but needs treatment straight away.
Key points
- Sinusitis is inflammation of the sinuses. It can frequently follow a cold or flu.
- About 1 in 10 Australians report sinusitis.
- Most cases are caused by a virus and get better without antibiotics.
- Salt-water (saline) nose rinses and pain relief can ease symptoms. Steroid nasal sprays are mainly used for chronic sinusitis and hay fever.
- Sinusitis that lasts more than 12 weeks is called chronic sinusitis. It may need an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist.
- A Doccy consultation can help with medical certificates, continuing your usual medicine, such as a nasal spray, and ENT referral.
What is sinusitis?
Your sinuses are air-filled spaces in the bones of your face. They sit behind your cheeks, forehead and eyes, and around your nose. They are lined with tissue that makes mucus. The mucus normally drains into your nose through small openings.
In sinusitis, the lining of the sinuses gets inflamed and swells. The openings get blocked and mucus builds up. This causes pressure, pain and a blocked nose.
There are two main types:
- Acute sinusitis lasts less than 12 weeks. It usually starts with a cold and clears within 1 to 2 weeks.
- Chronic sinusitis lasts more than 12 weeks. It is often linked to allergies, asthma or nasal polyps (soft, non-cancerous growths inside the nose).
How common is sinusitis in Australia?
Sinusitis is common. About 1 in 10 Australians (9.8%, or around 1.9 million people) reported sinusitis or sinus allergy in the 2017–18 National Health Survey.
Among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, 8.5% reported chronic sinusitis in 2022–23. It was more common in women (10%) than men (6.9%). It was highest in people aged 45 to 54 (17%). It was about 3 times more common in cities and regional areas (9.5%) than in remote areas (3.1%).
Symptoms of sinusitis
Common symptoms include:
- a blocked or stuffy nose
- pain or pressure in your face, often worse when you bend forward
- thick mucus from your nose, which may be yellow or green
- mucus running down the back of your throat (postnasal drip)
- a reduced sense of smell or taste
- a headache, or aching in your upper teeth
You may also have a cough, feel tired, or have a mild fever. Yellow or green mucus alone does not mean you need antibiotics.
When to see a doctor
If you have any of the signs in the emergency box at the top of this page, call triple zero (000) or go to your nearest emergency department.
Get an urgent GP appointment, or call healthdirect on 1800 022 222 for advice, if:
- your symptoms got better, then suddenly got worse again
- you have a high fever, or severe pain in your face or teeth
- you have a weakened immune system, for example during chemotherapy
See a GP if:
- your symptoms are not improving after 7 to 10 days
- you keep getting sinusitis
- your symptoms have lasted more than 12 weeks
- only one side of your nose has been blocked for more than 4 weeks
- you have nosebleeds or bloody mucus from one side of your nose
- you have lost your sense of smell and it has not come back
A GP can examine your nose and decide if you need antibiotics. Antibiotics may help if symptoms last 7 days or more with thick mucus, face pain or fever. They may also help if you get worse after starting to get better.
Causes and risk factors
Most sinusitis starts with a cold or flu virus. The virus makes the lining of the nose and sinuses inflamed and swollen. Sometimes bacteria then grow in the trapped mucus. This is less common.
You are more likely to get sinusitis if you:
- have hay fever or other allergies
- have asthma
- smoke, or breathe in other people's smoke
- have nasal polyps
- have a bent wall inside your nose (deviated septum)
- have a weakened immune system
Tooth infections in the upper jaw can also spread to the sinuses. Read more about allergies in our hay fever article.
How sinusitis is diagnosed
Your doctor will usually diagnose sinusitis from your symptoms. They will ask how long you have had them and whether they are getting better or worse. They may look inside your nose.
You do not usually need tests. A CT scan of the sinuses is only needed if:
- your doctor suspects a complication
- symptoms keep coming back or do not improve with treatment
- you may need surgery
An ENT specialist may look inside your nose with a thin camera (nasal endoscopy).
Treatment for sinusitis
Most acute sinusitis gets better on its own. Treatment helps you feel better while your body clears it.
- Salt-water nose sprays or rinses help clear mucus. You can buy them from a pharmacy.
- Steroid nasal sprays are not usually needed for a short bout of acute sinusitis. They are used for chronic sinusitis and hay fever (allergic rhinitis). Use them after a salt-water rinse. They can take several days to a few weeks to work fully. Some are available from a pharmacy.
- Decongestant nasal sprays can ease a blocked nose. Do not use them for more than 3 to 5 days. Longer use can make your nose more blocked.
- Pain relief, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen, can ease pain and fever.
- Antibiotics are only needed for some people. A large Cochrane review found they help only a little in most cases. About 1 in 8 people who take them get side effects, such as an upset stomach. Your GP can advise if you need them.
For chronic sinusitis, the main treatment is salt-water rinses at least twice a day, followed by a daily steroid nasal spray. You will not notice instant relief, so keep using them. Your doctor will usually suggest trying this for at least 3 months. If this does not help, an ENT specialist may suggest other treatment. This can include sinus surgery to improve drainage.
Ask your pharmacist or doctor which products suit you.
Self-care for sinusitis
- Rinse your nose with a salt-water spray or rinse kit.
- Breathe in steam from a warm shower, or a bowl of hot (not boiling) water. Take care to avoid burns.
- Put a warm cloth over your face to ease pain.
- Drink plenty of fluids and get enough rest.
- Avoid smoke and other things that irritate your nose.
- Treat hay fever if allergies trigger your symptoms.
Outlook
Most people with acute sinusitis feel better within 1 to 2 weeks. Without antibiotics, about half of people are better after 1 week and about two-thirds after 2 weeks.
Serious complications are rare. They happen when infection spreads to the eye or brain. This is why the warning signs in the emergency box matter.
Chronic sinusitis can last for months or years. It can affect your sleep, work and quality of life. With the right treatment, most people can control their symptoms.
How Doccy doctors can help
A Doccy consultation can help if you have sinus symptoms and none of the warning signs on this page. A Doccy consultation can:
- provide a medical certificate if you need time off work or study, or a carer's certificate if you are looking after someone who is unwell
- provide a special consideration letter if sinusitis has affected a university assessment or deadline
- continue a prescription for a nasal spray or other medicine you already use, if it is appropriate
- refer you to an ENT specialist if your symptoms have not improved after 3 months of daily steroid nasal spray and salt-water rinses, or if one side of your nose has been newly blocked for more than 4 weeks
A Doccy consultation is not suitable if you have any of the signs in the emergency box. If your doctor thinks you may need antibiotics, you will need to see a GP in person, so they can examine you.
Resources and support
healthdirect: information on sinusitis and a 24-hour nurse advice line on 1800 022 222.
Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care: a decision aid to help you and your doctor decide whether you need antibiotics for sinusitis.
Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA): information on allergies, hay fever and sinusitis.
These services and websites can provide extra information, but they do not replace advice from your own doctor.
- healthdirect. Sinusitis (rhinosinusitis). 2025. https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/sinusitis
- Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. Sinusitis: should I take antibiotics? 2024. https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/publications-and-resources/resource-library/sinusitis-should-i-take-antibiotics
- Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet. Summary of respiratory health among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. 2024. https://healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au/learn/health-topics/respiratory-health/latest-information-and-statistics-on-respiratory-health/
- Habib AR, Campbell R, Kalish L, et al. The burden of chronic upper airway disorders in Australia: a population-based cross-sectional study. Aust J Otolaryngol. 2019. https://www.theajo.com/article/view/4232
- Victorian Department of Health. Statewide referral criteria: rhinosinusitis. 2025. https://www.health.vic.gov.au/statewide-referral-criteria/rhinosinusitis
- Lemiengre MB, van Driel ML, Merenstein D, et al. Antibiotics for acute rhinosinusitis in adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018;9:CD006089. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30198548/
- Fokkens WJ, Lund VJ, Hopkins C, et al. European Position Paper on Rhinosinusitis and Nasal Polyps 2020. Rhinology. 2020;58(Suppl S29):1-464. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32077450/
- Webb H, Morcom S. Updates in the management of chronic rhinosinusitis. Aust J Gen Pract. 2024;53(12). https://www1.racgp.org.au/ajgp/2024/december/updates-in-the-management-of-chronic-rhinosinusiti
- Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA). Sinusitis and allergy. 2024. https://www.allergy.org.au/patients/allergic-rhinitis-hay-fever-and-sinusitis/sinusitis-and-allergy