Acute sinusitis is most often caused by the common cold. Signs and symptoms may include a blocked and stuffy (congested) nose, which may block your sinuses and prevent drainage of mucus. Acute sinusitis is an infection caused by a virus. The common cold is most often the cause.

Most people have sinus surgery because they have severe sinus problems that medication hasn't helped. Sinus surgery may involve removing infected sinus tissue, bone or polyps. There are several types of sinus surgeries designed to be less invasive so you can recover quickly.

As if having sinus problems wasn't a big enough problem in itself, many patients report that stress causes sinus problems. If you're the sort of person who avoids taking drugs because of the potential for addiction, natural methods can help reduce your stress, as well as reduce your sinus pain.