Start with self-care or a pharmacist.
Many cases improve on their own. Rest, fluids and suitable pain relief may help; a pharmacist can advise adults and children aged 12 or over about treatment options.
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Sinus symptoms · GP care
Sinus pressure? Find the right next step.
A blocked nose and pressure around your face can make everyday life uncomfortable. Understand what may help, when to speak to a pharmacist and when a GP should review symptoms that persist or keep returning.
Sinus-like symptoms can have several causes, including a cold or allergy. This page is general guidance, not a diagnosis.
Choose a suitable route
What kind of help do you need?
Sinusitis often follows a cold and usually settles without antibiotics. How long it has lasted, whether you are getting worse and any risk factors help decide the next step.
When it lingers or keeps returning.
See a GP if symptoms have not improved after 3 weeks of self-care or 7 days after pharmacy or GP treatment, keep returning, or affect a child aged 11 or under.
Explore GP appointment optionsWhen symptoms are getting worse.
Ask for an urgent GP assessment or use NHS 111 if you feel very unwell, pain relief is not helping, symptoms worsen or you have a weakened immune system.
Get help from NHS 111New eye pain or changes in vision need urgent advice. A painful, swollen eye, sudden vision loss or severe eye pain needs A&E or 999, as explained above.
What you may notice
Sinus symptoms, in context.
When the sinuses are swollen, drainage can be affected. These are common signs, but they can overlap with colds, allergies and other causes of facial discomfort.
Facial pressure
Tenderness or discomfort around the cheeks, eyes or forehead.
Blocked or runny nose
Congestion that makes it harder to breathe through the nose.
Reduced smell
Your sense of smell may be duller while the nose is blocked.
Headache or tiredness
Sometimes with a temperature, a cough or discoloured nasal mucus.
Toothache can occur with sinusitis, but tooth or gum pain and facial swelling may also need urgent dental care. A GP cannot provide dental treatment for an abscess.
A considered GP review
A better answer starts with the pattern.
A GP can ask when symptoms began, whether they followed a cold, how much they affect you and what you have tried. The history helps distinguish a short-lived illness from a problem that needs examination or further advice.
Explore GP appointments01
Understand the timeline.
How long the pressure or congestion has lasted, whether it improves and whether you have had similar episodes before.
02
Consider other causes.
A GP may ask about allergies, one-sided symptoms, dental pain, medicines and any changes around the eyes.
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Agree what comes next.
The plan may include self-care, pharmacy treatment, an examination or specialist referral when symptoms are persistent or recurrent.
Comfort and treatment
Care should fit the cause.
Most sinusitis improves without antibiotics. A pharmacist or clinician can help decide which symptom treatments are suitable for you.
01
Support recovery
Rest and enough fluids can help. Suitable pain relief may ease facial discomfort; check with a pharmacist if you are unsure what you can take.
02
Ease congestion safely
Salt-water nasal rinses may help. Follow the NHS instructions and use water that has been boiled and allowed to cool, or ask a pharmacist about a suitable product.
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Treat what is indicated
A pharmacist or GP may suggest a steroid nasal spray or an antihistamine if allergy is involved. Antibiotics are only rarely needed for sinusitis.
Ask a pharmacist before giving medicines to a child or using them during pregnancy. If pain is not controlled or symptoms worsen, seek urgent advice rather than waiting for a routine review. Read NHS care guidance.
When it comes back
Recurring symptoms deserve a closer look.
If sinus symptoms keep returning, only affect one side of the face, or remain after several months of treatment, a GP can review possible causes and decide whether an ear, nose and throat specialist should be involved.
Itchy eyes or nose and repeated sneezing can point towards an allergy rather than an infection. If you have prominent tooth or gum pain, speak to a dentist. The right assessment depends on the pattern, not a label chosen from symptoms alone.
Explore general medicine ↗Good to know
Questions about sinusitis.
Simple answers to help you choose the next step.
How long does sinusitis usually last?
Sinusitis often clears within 4 weeks. See a GP if symptoms do not improve after 3 weeks of self-care, or if you have had 7 days of treatment from a pharmacy or GP without getting better.
Does green or yellow mucus mean I need antibiotics?
No. Discoloured nasal mucus can occur with sinusitis, but sinusitis is usually caused by a virus. A pharmacist or GP considers the whole picture; antibiotics are only rarely needed.
Could this be an allergy instead?
Possibly. Allergic rhinitis often includes sneezing, an itchy nose or eyes, and symptoms linked to a trigger. A pharmacist or GP can help consider whether allergy treatment is appropriate. Read NHS allergy guidance.
When should a child be seen?
If a child aged 11 or under has sinusitis symptoms, see a GP. A pharmacist can advise for children aged 12 or over; call 111 if you need advice for a child under 5. Use urgent care if the child is very unwell or symptoms worsen.
Can a GP assess sinus symptoms remotely?
A video or telephone conversation may be suitable for an initial review, but a clinician may recommend an in-person assessment for persistent, severe or unusual symptoms. New eye pain or vision changes need urgent advice. Explore remote GP options.
What if the pain is actually from a tooth?
Sinusitis can cause toothache, but a painful tooth or gum, especially with swelling, may need urgent dental assessment. A GP cannot treat a dental abscess. Read NHS dental abscess advice.
Clinical information: NHS sinusitisNHS allergic rhinitisNHS vision changesNHS painful eye swellingNHS dental abscess. This information is general and does not replace individual medical advice.