What is chronic sinusitis? The sinuses are cavities within the skull with openings that connect to the nasal cavity. When allergies or pollutants irritate the nasal passages, the nasal cavity and nasal mucosa usually become inflamed and swollen. Mucus accumulates in the sinuses. This is called sinusitis. Sinusitis symptoms are considered chronic once they have lasted longer than 3 months. Symptoms of sinusitis include nasal congestion (difficulty breathing through the nose), loss of smell, daytime and nighttime coughing, colored nasal discharge, bad breath, throat clearing, facial pressure, headaches, and upper teeth pain. If you have chronic sinusitis, you may feel mucus dripping down or out of the back of your throat. This is called postnasal drip. Postnasal drip can cause a cough. How is sinusitis diagnosed and treated? To confirm the diagnosis, your doctor will ask about your symptoms. The doctor will use a type of nasal endoscope to examine the inside of the nasal passages. Some people with chronic sinusitis have pus or polyps in their nasal passages, which can be viewed through the nasal endoscope. Your doctor may recommend that you have a CT scan of your sinuses. The goal is to treat the sinusitis. You may be asked to try taking some medications for a few weeks to clarify whether they are effective. This practice may be called experimental treatment. Ask your doctor approximately how long the trial treatment will last. Trial treatment may be one of many treatments to try until your chronic cough is under control. Medications prescribed by your doctor may include: 1. sinus rinses to remove mucus; 2. decongestants to reduce swelling and treat allergy, cold or flu symptoms, such as a stuffy or runny nose, sneezing or blocked sinuses; 3. mucolytics to dissolve thick mucus; 4. glucocorticoids to reduce inflammation; 5. antibiotics to treat bacterial infections; and 6. antifungal medications to treat fungal sinusitis. All medications may have side effects and risks. If you have any questions about the medications used or this material, please contact your doctor.