If maxillary sinuses are affected, one or both cheeks will hurt. You may feel as if you have a toothache in the upper jaw. Sinusitis is not very common but susceptibility varies enormously. Damage to nasal bones, or even a foreign body caught in a nostril, may bring on an attack. A deformity of the nose such as a deviated septum may increase susceptibility by obstructing the nasal passageways.
Risks are minimal if sinusitis is treated with antibiotics.
Such complications are now uncommon. Try the self-help measures recommended below. If, after 3 or 4 days, symptoms persist, consult your doctor, who will probably confirm the diagnosis of sinusitis by examining your mouth and nose and gently pressing the floor of the sinuses above the eyes or behind the cheeks. Blow your nose gently with tissues, destroying them after use. If there is any doubt about the diagnosis, or if your doctor wants to assess the extent of the sinus infection, he or she may arrange for X-ray photographs to be taken.