The Sinusitis Behind Puffy Eyes

When you’re suffering from sinusitis, the signs are in your face – literally and figuratively. In previous blogs, we looked at one way it manifests, allergic shiners in adults and children, and in this blog, we’re going to examine another: tender, puffy eyes.

Pain, tenderness and swelling around your eyes is a telltale sign of a sinus infection. It occurs because when the sinuses are blocked, nothing drains well. And blockage, in turn, leads to inflammation and fluid retention. Therefore because your sinuses are all connected, not only will your nasal passages be swollen, so will the thin-skinned area under your eyes.

Swollen, puffy eyes is not a good look for anyone. It’s also not a comfortable feeling. Luckily there are things you can do at home to help reduce the inflammation:

• Antihistamines
• Decongestants
• Cold Compresses
• Corticosteroids
• Elevate your head when sleeping
• Humidifiers
• Nasal Irrigation
• Nasal sprays
• Reduce alcohol and sodium

Some of these remedies require a prescription, while others are over-the-counter or even things you’ll find around the house. All of them, however, only offer temporary relief from puffy eyes.

The only way to get rid of swollen, puffy eyes is to treat the underlying problem. In this case, it’s chronic sinusitis, which does require medical attention. And that’s where CT Sinus Center can help. When you first come in, we’ll take the time to sit down with you and thoroughly discuss your symptoms and medical history before we begin up-to-date diagnostics. Once we determine exactly what’s causing your puffy eyes, we’ll find a treatment that is the right fit for your lifestyle.

If you also suffer from the other telltale symptoms of chronic sinusitis, you may be a candidate for balloon sinuplasty, a noninvasive, in-house procedure done with local anesthesia, that promotes natural drainage and healing and reduces those unsightly bags. Those signs include:

• Drainage of a thick, yellow or greenish discharge from the nose or down the back of the throat
• Nasal obstruction or congestion, causing difficulty breathing through your nose
• Reduced sense of smell and taste

If you’re ready to look and more importantly, feel, better, schedule an appointment with one of our experienced physicians at CT Sinus Center by calling 860-BALLOON. With four conveniently-located offices – Ken and Waterbury – we’ll have you leaving feeling swell in no time rather than swelling.

For additional information on sinus-related conditions or treatments, read more about CT Sinus Center and take a look at our blog.