Sinusitis: how long it usually lasts
The NHS lists salt-water nose cleaning among home treatments, but a Cochrane review said the trials of rinses for colds and similar infections were generally small.
Sinusitis is swelling of the sinuses, usually caused by an infection, and it is common and usually clears up on its own within four weeks, the NHS says.
The NHS page, last reviewed on 31 January 2024, lists the main symptoms as pain, swelling and tenderness around the cheeks, eyes or forehead, a blocked or runny nose, a reduced sense of smell, green or yellow mucus from the nose and a high temperature. It says sinusitis is common after a cold or flu.
The timeline
NICE’s guideline on antibiotic prescribing for acute sinusitis, published on 27 October 2017 and last reviewed on 18 April 2019, says it is usually caused by a virus, lasts for about 2 to 3 weeks, and most people get better without antibiotics. The guideline says withholding antibiotics rarely leads to complications. The NHS says antibiotics are rarely needed, because sinusitis is usually caused by a virus, not bacteria.
Rinsing the nose with salt water
The NHS lists cleaning the nose with a salt water solution among the ways to treat mild sinusitis at home, and gives step-by-step instructions on its page.
A Cochrane review published in 2015, with evidence current to August 2014, looked at salt-water rinses and sprays for short-term infections of the upper airways, including colds and infections of the nose or sinuses. It found five trials with 749 people, all comparing saline with routine care or other nose sprays. Most results showed no difference between saline and the comparison treatment, and the authors said the trials were generally too small and at high risk of bias, reducing confidence in the evidence. They concluded that saline irrigation “possibly has benefits” for relieving symptoms. Minor nasal discomfort or irritation was the only side effect reported, by a minority of participants.
When to get help
The NHS says a pharmacist can give the same treatments as a GP for sinusitis, and lists a child aged 12 years or older among those who can see one. It says to see a GP if a person, or a child, has sinusitis symptoms and:
- does not get better after 7 days of treatment from a pharmacy or GP
- does not get better after 3 weeks of treating symptoms at home
- keeps getting sinusitis
- is a child aged 11 years or younger
It says to ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from 111 if a person or child with sinusitis symptoms is very unwell, if painkillers do not help or symptoms get worse, or if they have a weakened immune system, for example because of chemotherapy. For a child under 5 years old, it says to call 111 for advice.
