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Can sinus infections cause dizziness and vertigo?

Last update on 03/19/2025

A sinus infection — also known as sinusitis — is an inflammation of your sinuses, often caused by fluid buildup. But how can sinus infections cause dizziness?

The answer lies in the intricate connections between the sinuses and your inner ear, where the system that controls your balance — the vestibular system — is located. While sinusitis dizziness isn’t something that everyone experiences during an infection, understanding why it might happen can be helpful in treating the issue.

Dr. Thomas Tedeschi, Au.D.

Chief Audiology Officer, Miracle-Ear

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Key takeaways

Inflammation of the sinuses, known as a sinus infection or sinusitis, can affect the ears.
Sinus infections can cause dizziness if the inflammation blocks the nearby Eustachian tubes, creating changes in pressure that affect the vestibular system, which helps you maintain balance.
Dizziness caused by sinus infection can sometimes be accompanied by anxiety or nausea.
Mucus buildup in the sinuses can lead to sinus pressure, which is a feeling of fullness behind the cheeks, eyes or forehead.
Sinus pressure and dizziness are also associated with migraines.
Home remedies for sinus-related dizziness aim to relieve sinus pressure. They include applying warm compresses, breathing in steam and irrigating the nasal passages.

Understanding how sinus infections can cause dizziness

Sinusitis can result from viral or bacterial infections, allergies or other health conditions that cause the sinuses to become inflamed.¹ This inflammation can block the nearby Eustachian tubes, which regulate pressure in the ear. The resulting changes in pressure can affect the vestibular system organs in the inner ear, which then disrupts your sense of balance.² This is why a sinus infection can cause dizziness.

How sinus infection, dizziness and anxiety are connected

Those suffering from chronic sinus infections may experience anxiety as a result of prolonged discomfort,³ or simply due to the dizziness caused by sinusitis. There’s also a cyclical relationship with anxiety and dizziness. Dizziness is a common symptom of anxiety, which can in turn lead to further feelings of anxiety and thus more dizziness.⁴

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Symptoms of sinus infection related to dizziness

There are various symptoms of a sinus infection related to dizziness. This can include:

Vertigo
Dizziness without the typical congestion of a sinus infection
Headaches
Nausea
Blocked ears
Lightheadedness
Anxiety

Below, we’ll explore the connections between dizziness and sinusitis symptoms further.

Patients with sinusitis sometimes experience vertigo, a specific type of dizziness described as a spinning sensation.⁵ Sinus infections and vertigo may be linked because sinus inflammation can affect the vestibular system in the inner ear, affecting a person’s sense of balance.

Sinus pressure is a feeling of fullness behind the cheeks, eyes or forehead caused by mucus buildup in the sinuses. While this usually results in feeling congested, it is possible to experience sinus pressure and dizziness without congestion. In these cases, the sinus pressure is likely not due to a buildup of mucus but rather due to a migraine or other headache disorder.⁶ Many people who experience migraines report dizziness as an associated symptom.⁷

The pressure that fluid buildup puts on the sinuses can cause a headache-like feeling. If you are experiencing what feels like a sinus headache and dizziness, that same pressure that’s giving you a headache may also be affecting the balance center of your inner ear. In some cases, though, the combination is not due to sinusitis but rather a migraine,^8-9 which often appears with dizziness.

Dizziness is often accompanied by nausea.¹⁰ Because sinusitis and dizziness are sometimes associated, sinus infection dizziness can lead to nausea. Sinusitis can also increase the amount of mucus that drains from the nose to the throat and into the stomach, which can result in nausea.¹¹

Blocked ears, sinus infection and dizziness are all connected conditions because of the previously mentioned proximity between the sinuses and the Eustachian tubes. Inflamed sinuses can block the Eustachian tubes, creating pressure that makes the ears feel full.¹² This pressure can also affect the balance-maintaining organs in your inner ear, resulting in dizziness.

Remember that dizziness refers broadly to feelings of faintness or unsteadiness. These feelings can also be described as lightheadedness. Sinus pressure can make you feel dizzy and lightheaded because of the connection between the sinuses and the balance-maintaining vestibular system in your inner ear.

As noted above, there can be a connection between sinusitis, dizziness and anxiety. The dizziness caused by sinusitis can lead to anxiety, as can the prolonged discomfort of a chronic sinus infection. And, regardless of if a sinus infection is at play, a common symptom of anxiety is dizziness.

Can chronic sinus infections cause dizziness?

Chronic sinusitis can cause dizziness, just as acute sinusitis can.¹³ Chronic sinusitis is inflammation of the sinuses that lasts three months or more.¹⁴ It is often a result of allergies or nasal obstructions, both of which prevent proper drainage of mucus from the sinuses.¹⁵

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Other causes of sinus pressure and dizziness

What causes sinus pressure and dizziness? There are several culprits to consider if you are experiencing these symptoms. As noted above, the feelings of sinus pressure and dizziness are also associated with migraines. Sinus pressure alone can also result from structural issues in the nasal cavity, environmental factors, tension headaches, and jaw or dental issues.¹⁶ And while sometimes a sinus infection causes dizziness, dizziness can also be a symptom of anxiety, low blood sugar, a drop in blood pressure or an inner ear infection.¹⁷

How to get rid of dizziness from a sinus infection

Are you wondering how to get rid of dizziness from sinusitis — specifically vertigo? There are a couple of simple home remedies you can try. Here's how to cure sinus infection and dizziness at home:

There are various ways to undergo sinusitis vertigo treatment at home. Since sinusitis vertigo results from inflammation in the sinuses, home remedies for sinus-related dizziness are meant to relieve sinus pressure. Some people feel relief by placing a warm compress over their sinuses, breathing in steam or irrigating the nasal passages with a saltwater solution.^18-19 Sleeping with your head propped up can both aid in mucus drainage and help relieve vertigo. Avoid activities that can exacerbate vertigo, such as making quick head movements and bending over.²⁰

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FAQs about sinus infection and dizziness

Dizziness resulting from a sinus infection often goes away when the infection clears up.²¹ But how long the dizziness will last depends in part on whether you are suffering from acute sinusitis or chronic sinusitis. Symptoms of acute sinusitis last less than one month, while symptoms of chronic sinusitis can last more than three months.²² However, some people are able to relieve dizziness and other symptoms of sinusitis with the home remedies discussed above.

There are a number of reasons why you might experience dizziness after sinus infection symptoms have resolved. If a sinus infection causes a Eustachian tube to become blocked, fluid can get trapped in the ear.²³ This can lead to an ear infection that disrupts the inner ear, causing dizziness.^24-25In some cases, sinus infection symptoms can seem to improve before getting much worse. This is a sign that a bacterial sinus infection may have developed.^26-27 Because a bacterial sinus infection can bring on more severe symptoms, it may bring on dizziness.

Sources

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²Kim HY. “Vertigo due to Eustachian tube dysfunction.” Arch Otorhinolaryngol Head Neck Surg, vol. 1, no. 1, 2017. doi:10.24983/scitemed.aohns.2017.00017. https://scitemed.com/article/172/scitemed-aohns-2017-00017.

³Fan, Hongli et al. “Prevalence and predictors of depression and anxiety in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.” BMJ open, vol. 14, no. 3, 2024. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2023-079273. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38490652/.

⁴Morris, Laura O. “Dizziness Related to Anxiety and Stress.” Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy, https://www.neuropt.org/docs/default-source/vestibular-sig/vsig-english-pt-fact-sheets/anxiety-and-stress-dizziness4ca035a5390366a68a96ff00001fc240.pdf.

⁵Dizziness, vertigo and balance disorders.” Better Health Channel, https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/dizziness-and-vertigo.

⁶Sissons, Beth. “What can cause sinus pain without congestion?” Medical News Today, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/sinus-headache-without-congestion.

⁷Handelsman, Jaynee, and Hussam El-Kashlan. “Dizziness and Migraine.” ASHA, https://www.asha.org/articles/dizziness-and-migraine/.

⁸“Sinus Headache Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments.” UPMC, https://www.upmc.com/services/neurology/services/headache-center/sinus-headache.

⁹ “Sinus headaches.” Mayo Clinic, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sinus-headaches/symptoms-causes/syc-20377580.

¹⁰Bhandari, Anita. “Why Does Nausea Often Accompany Dizziness?” Neuro Equilibrium, https://www.neuroequilibrium.in/why-does-nausea-often-accompany-dizziness/.

¹¹“Postnasal Drip: Can It Really Make You Queasy?” Cleveland Clinic, https://health.clevelandclinic.org/postnasal-drip-can-it-really-make-you-queasy.

¹²“Blocked Eustachian Tubes.” Columbia Doctors, https://www.columbiadoctors.org/health-library/condition/blocked-eustachian-tubes/.

¹³ Ila K, Soylemez E, Yilmaz N, Eshraghi AA. “Association Between Chronic Rhinosinusitis and The Vestibular System.” ENT Updates vol. 9, no. 2, 2019, pp. 133–137. https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/download/article-file/781722.

¹⁴ DeBoer DL, Kwon E. Acute Sinusitis. [Updated 2023 Aug 7]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK547701/.

¹⁵ LeWine, Howard E. “Chronic sinusitis (in adults).” Harvard Health Publishing, https://www.health.harvard.edu/a_to_z/chronic-sinusitis-in-adults-a-to-z.

¹⁶ Sissons, Beth. “What can cause sinus pain without congestion?” Medical News Today, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/sinus-headache-without-congestion.

¹⁷ “Dizziness (lightheadedness).” NHS Inform, https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/brain-nerves-and-spinal-cord/dizziness-lightheadedness/.

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¹⁹ “What to do about sinusitis.” Harvard Health Publishing, https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/what_to_do_about_sinusitis.

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²¹ “Can a Chronic Sinus Infection Make You Dizzy?” Collin County Ear Nose and Throat, https://collincountyent.com/can-a-chronic-sinus-infection-make-you-dizzy/.

²² DeBoer DL, Kwon E. Acute Sinusitis. [Updated 2023 Aug 7]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK547701/.

²³ Winarsky, Eric L. “Sinus Infections: Your Top 5 Questions Answered.” Hackensack Meridian Health, https://www.hackensackmeridianhealth.org/en/healthu/2019/02/19/sinus-infections-your-top-5-questions-answered.

²⁴ “Ear infection—acute.” Medline Plus, https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000638.htm.

²⁵ Sone, Michihiko. “Inner ear disturbances related to middle ear inflammation.” Nagoya journal of medical science, vol. 79, no. 1, 2017, pp. 1-7. doi:10.18999/nagjms.79.1.1. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5346614/.

²⁶ “Acute Bacterial Rhinosinusitis.” Cedars Sinai, https://www.cedars-sinai.org/health-library/diseases-and-conditions/a/acute-bacterial-rhinosinusitis-1.html.

²⁷ “Sinusitis.” Mount Sinai, https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/report/sinusitis.