Streaming nose, blocked feeling, fuzzy head, watering eyes, sneezing.
Hay fever and sinusitis can feel very alike, but they have different causes and get better in different ways. A few simple clues can help you tell them apart.
Hay fever: when pollen is the problem
Hay fever is an allergy to pollen. It is most common from late March to September,and sometimes all year round when trees, grass and weeds release pollen into the air.
It often feels like this:
- Lots of sneezing
- A runny nose with clear, watery mucus
- Itchy, red or watery eyes
- An itchy throat, mouth, nose or ears
- Feeling tired and run down
The big clue is the itch. Itchy eyes and sneezing fits point to hay fever. It comes back around the same time each year and is often worse on warm, dry, windy days.
Sinusitis when your sinuses are swollen
Your sinuses are small spaces behind your cheeks, eyes and forehead. Sinusitis is when they become swollen and blocked. It often starts after a cold or flu.
It often feels like this:
- Pain, pressure or tenderness in your cheeks, around your eyes or across your forehead
- A blocked nose
- Thick yellow or green mucus
- A reduced sense of smell
- Headache, toothache or pressure in your ears
- Pain that gets worse when you bend forward
The big clue is the pain in your face. Sinusitis also tends to follow a cold. You may start to feel better, then get worse again.
The quick check
Itchy eyes and sneezing, same time each year? Probably hay fever.
Face pain and thick mucus after a cold? Probably sinusitis.
They can also happen together. Hay fever makes the inside of your nose swell, and that can block your sinuses.
Simple things that help
For hay fever:
- Put a little Vaseline around your nostrils to trap pollen
- Wear wraparound sunglasses outside
- Shower and change your clothes when you come in
- Keep windows and doors shut when the pollen count is high
- Dry washing indoors
- Ask your pharmacist about antihistamines, eye drops or a steroid nose spray
For sinusitis:
- Rest and drink plenty of fluids
- Take paracetamol or ibuprofen for the pain
- Rinse your nose with salt water, up to three times a day
- Avoid smoking and smoky places
- Ask your pharmacist about a steroid nose spray
Most sinusitis clears on its own within two to four weeks.
Do I need antibiotics?
Usually not.
Most sinusitis is caused by a virus. Antibiotics do not work on viruses, and they can cause side effects. We only suggest them when someone is very unwell or not getting better.
A saltwater nasal rinse and a steroid nose spray often do help
When to see us
Book an appointment if:
- Sinus symptoms have not improved after three weeks
- Pharmacy treatment has not helped after a week
- You keep getting sinusitis
- Your nose has been blocked or runny for more than 12 weeks
- Hay fever is still spoiling your days despite pharmacy treatment
- Your child is 11 or younger and has sinus symptoms
If hay fever is hard to control, there are stronger treatments. For some people, an allergy treatment called immunotherapy can calm things down for the long term.
Breathe easier
Hay fever and sinusitis are common, and both can make you feel miserable. With the right treatment, most people feel much better quickly.
If you are not sure which one you have, or your symptoms just won’t settle, worth seeing a doctor.
