Q: I HAVE A COLD THAT WON'T GO AWAY. WHAT SHOULD I DO?
A: Talk with your doctor about how you’re feeling. You could have a condition, called sinusitis, that may seem like the common cold. The symptoms of a cold—which include congestion, runny nose and coughing—usually last about a week. Sinusitis is an inflammation and infection of the sinuses that can last weeks or months and may go away and come back again. People with sinusitis usually have cold-like symptoms as well as facial pain or pressure, a headache and fever. Your doctor may perform a diagnostic test, called a nasal endoscopy, to determine if you have sinusitis. During this procedure, a very slender telescope passes easily through the nostril to examine the nasal passages.
Q: WHAT CAUSES SINUSITIS?
A: Anything that causes swelling in your sinuses or keeps the nasal and sinus membranes from moving mucus can cause sinusitis. This can occur because of changes in temperature or air pressure. Allergies can cause sinusitis. Using decongestant nasal sprays too much, smoking, swimming or diving can also increase your risk of getting sinusitis. Some people have growths called polyps that block their sinus passages and cause sinusitis.
Q: HOW IS SINUSITIS TREATED?
A: Sinusitis isn’t a life-threatening disorder, but it can make you miserable.
Treatment will make you feel better. Your doctor may recommend a topical nasal
steroid to treat the inflammation and an antibiotic to fight the infection. He or she
may also suggest that you irrigate the nose with a saline solution to help clear the
nasal passages. If your symptoms don’t get better, he or she can culture the infection
and choose an antibiotic that targets the specific infection you have.
Your primary care physician can treat many cases of sinusitis. But if conservative
treatments don’t work or you have chronic or severe sinusitis, you may
want to ask your doctor for a referral to a specialist for a comprehensive
evaluation. A specialist can determine whether you need sinus surgery
to remove any obstructions in the nose or widen the drainage passages.
Surgery can help restore the normal function of your nose so you’ll be
less likely to develop sinusitis.
Today, endoscopes (telescopes that allow us to see inside the nose),
special instruments, imaging technology and sophisticated software
are used to perform computer-assisted surgery. Most sinus surgeries
are outpatient procedures, and patients generally do very well and
recover quickly. 
Alexis Jackman, MD,
is an otolaryngologist (ear, nose and
throat surgeon) at Montefiore Medical
Center and assistant professor of
Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck
Surgery at Albert Einstein College of
Medicine. Dr. Jackman is a graduate of
George Washington University School of
Medicine. She completed a residency in
Otolaryngology at New York University
and a fellowship in Sinus and Endoscopic
surgery at the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Jackman has a special interest in
treating patients coping with chronic
sinusitis or chronic nose bleeds.
For more information about sinus surgery or to schedule an
appointment with Dr. Jackman, please call 
The articles in this publication are from Montefiore Medical Center’s publication Keeping You Healthy and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations to any individual or group.
This publication is for information purposes only.