Pressure behind your eyes, a stuffed-up nose and a headache that won't quit: a sinus infection can wear you down. Most get better on their own, and a clinician can usually tell you by video whether you need more than rest and home care.
If you have swelling or redness around your eye, changes in your vision, a severe headache or a stiff neck, don't wait for a video visit. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
Symptoms of a sinus infection
Your sinuses are air-filled spaces behind your forehead, cheeks and eyes. When they get inflamed and blocked, you may notice:
- A stuffy or blocked nose
- Thick yellow or green mucus from your nose or down the back of your throat
- Pain, pressure or fullness in your face, especially when you bend forward
- A reduced sense of smell or taste
- Headache, tooth or upper jaw ache
- Cough, bad breath or tiredness
- Sometimes, a fever
Can a sinus infection be treated by video?
Yes, in most cases. Diagnosis is based mainly on your symptoms and how long you've had them, which a clinician can assess well on a video call.
It helps to know that most sinus infections are caused by viruses, often after a cold. Antibiotics don't work on viruses, and they can cause side effects. Thick or colored mucus on its own doesn't mean you need an antibiotic.
A bacterial sinus infection is more likely when:
- Symptoms last more than 10 days without getting better
- Symptoms are severe from the start, such as a high fever with thick nasal discharge or facial pain for several days in a row
- You start to feel better, then get worse again
During your visit, your clinician will ask about your symptoms, how long they've lasted, your medications and allergies, and your health history. If they decide treatment is appropriate, whether that's something for symptom relief or an antibiotic, they send the prescription to the Florida pharmacy you choose. If an antibiotic isn't needed, they'll explain why and what will help instead.
When to be seen in person
Get in-person care, or follow up with your regular doctor, if you:
- Have had sinus symptoms for 12 weeks or longer
- Get sinus infections several times a year
- Aren't improving after treatment, or are getting worse
- Have a weakened immune system
- Have had recent sinus or facial surgery, or a facial injury
- Have symptoms only on one side that keep coming back, or frequent nosebleeds
Your clinician may suggest seeing an ear, nose and throat specialist for ongoing problems. You can also find walk-in clinics and ERs across Florida.
Emergency warning signs: call 911
A sinus infection rarely spreads beyond the sinuses, but when it does, it's serious. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room if you have:
- Swelling, redness or pain around one or both eyes
- Double vision, blurry vision or trouble moving your eye
- A severe headache, especially with a stiff neck
- New confusion or unusual sleepiness
- Swelling of your forehead
- A high fever with any of the signs above
What sinus infection care costs at MD Care
A video visit is $50 without insurance. There's no membership and no monthly fee. If you have Medicare, we confirm your coverage before your visit, and you pay your plan's share.
For some straightforward cases, a $20 message visit may be enough, when your clinician agrees it's appropriate.
Most patients are seen within three hours. You must be physically located in Florida at the time of your visit.
Tips to feel better at home
- Rest and drink plenty of fluids
- Rinse your nose with salt water (saline). If you use a rinse bottle or neti pot, use distilled, sterile or boiled-then-cooled water, never water straight from the tap.
- Breathe in steam from a warm shower
- Use a cool-mist humidifier, and keep it clean
- Put a warm, damp washcloth over your face for pressure
- Raise your head with an extra pillow at night
- Over-the-counter pain relievers can help. Follow the label, and check with your clinician or pharmacist if you take other medicines or have heart, kidney or blood pressure problems.
Do I need antibiotics for a sinus infection?
Usually not. Most sinus infections are viral and get better on their own. Your clinician considers an antibiotic when the signs point to a bacterial infection, such as symptoms lasting more than 10 days or getting worse after starting to improve.
Does green mucus mean a bacterial infection?
Not necessarily. Mucus often turns thick and yellow or green with a viral infection too. How long you've been sick and how your symptoms change matter more than color.
How long does a sinus infection last?
Many improve within one to two weeks. If yours lasts longer, keeps coming back or gets worse, talk with a clinician.
Is it a sinus infection or allergies?
They can feel similar. Allergies often bring itchy eyes, sneezing and clear, watery mucus, and they tend to follow seasons or triggers. Your clinician can help sort it out.
Does Medicare cover a video visit for a sinus infection?
We accept Medicare for urgent care visits. We confirm your coverage before your visit, and you pay your plan's share.
Sinus pressure getting you down?
See a Florida-licensed clinician by video, from home.
Sources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Sinus infection (sinusitis). cdc.gov.
- MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine. Sinusitis. medlineplus.gov.
- American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery. Clinical practice guideline: adult sinusitis. entnet.org.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Rinsing your sinuses with neti pots: safe practices. fda.gov.
This page is for general information and isn't medical advice. It doesn't replace an evaluation by a clinician. MD Care is not for emergencies: if you have a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.