Otolaryngologist Zaitsev urged to see a doctor if a runny nose lasts more than five days becomes a symptom of a dangerous disease. He urged patients not to engage in self-treatment in an interview with Vechernyaya Moskva.
“When transparent discharge becomes whitish, and then yellow and thickens, an unpleasant odor appears, pressing sensations, pain is a transition from an acute rhinitis into sinusitis, ”Zaitsev warned. He also urged Russians to seek help from a doctor if the ailment lasts more than five days.
According to the expert, this type of rhinitis can inflame the paranasal maxillary sinus, which is the most vulnerable. “Pain under the eye, soreness when the head is tilted downward, the feeling of fluid rolling at the level of the cheeks, pressing pain that can spread to the teeth — these are all symptoms of purulent sinusitis,” he explained.
A runny nose can be a symptom of allergic rhinitis: it usually occurs in the spring, during flowering, or from using a new pillow. In such situations, the otolaryngologist advised to move away from the source of the allergen in order to get rid of the ailment.
At the same time, the main mistake in self-treatment of a common cold, the doctor called “lost time” when Russians seek medical help with chronic inflammation. In this case, therapy is more difficult, and the disease must be transferred to the stage of remission. If nasal breathing is difficult, surgical intervention is required – this is the most negative scenario for the development of a cold, Zaitsev concluded.
Earlier, otolaryngologist Ivan Leskov said that refusal to treat a cold can lead to sinusitis. He advised not to limit the use of vasoconstrictor drugs and rinse the nose.