Blocked Sinuses

Blocked sinuses can last two or three weeks. It’s quite common, especially if you’ve had a cold or flu. The lining of the sinuses becomes swollen, this causes the blocked up feeling.

Symptoms include:

pain and swelling in your cheeks, forehead or around your eyes
blocked nose (mucus can be yellow or green)
headache
high temperature (38C or above)
toothache
bad breath

Antibiotics probably won’t help.

get lots of rest
drink plenty of fluids
take painkillers, like paracetamol or ibuprofen
use a salt water solution to clear your nose and ease congestion. Ask your pharmacist for advice on how to do this, or click here.

You can also try:

holding a warm flannel over your face
inhaling steam from a bowl of hot water

A pharmacist can advise you about medicines that can help.

Seek medical advice if:

you’ve taken painkillers but they don’t help
your symptoms don’t start to get better after a week, or if they are getting worse
you keep getting blocked sinuses

Related content