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Acute rhinosinusitis and chronic rhinosinusitis share many symptoms. The chief differences between the two are found in:

• Length of time symptoms occur. Acute rhinosinusitis tends to unfold in a period of a month or less, while chronic rhinosinusitis can stretch on for months and tends to recur.
  
  
• Severity of symptoms. Symptoms tend to be more pronounced in acute rhinosinusitis and more subtle in chronic rhinosinusitis.
  
  
• Fever. Acute rhinosinusitis often is accompanied by low-grade fever, but this is rarely the case in chronic rhinosinusitis.

One typical symptom shared by both forms of rhinosinusitis is a sinus headache, a nonvascular headache caused by pressure changes in sinus cavities. Trapped air, pus and other secretions create pressure on the sinus wall. Pain, pressure or fullness usually is present in the cheeks, brow or forehead.

Other symptoms of rhinosinusitis include:

• Cold symptoms that last more than a week
• Fatigue
• Weakness
• Cough
• Nasal congestion
• Profuse, thick, colored (especially green) nasal discharge
• Bad-tasting post-nasal drip
• Headache when leaning forward
• Sore throat (resulting from post-nasal drip)

Certain symptoms may indicate which of the sinuses are affected. These include:

• Facial pain. Pain when the forehead is touched indicates inflammation of the frontal sinuses.
  
  
• Achiness of the upper jaw and teeth, and tenderness in the cheeks when touched. This indicates infection in the maxillary sinuses.
  
  
• Pain between the eyes, swelling of the eyelids and tissues around the eyes. This indicates inflammation of the ethmoid sinuses, which may also cause tenderness when the nose is touched and loss of smell.
  
  
• Earaches, neck pain and a deep ache at the top of the head indicate infection of the sphenoid sinuses.

Patients should seek prompt medical attention if they suffer from any of the following symptoms:

• Fever greater than 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius)
• Pain, swelling or redness on the face or around the eyes
• Severe headache
• Confusion
• Stiff neck