Mucus is important to your health, from moisturizing your body to protecting it from harmful pathogens. But things like allergies or cold viruses can thicken it, making it interfere with your breathing and well-being.

Dull, throbbing pain located at the front of your face. The pain may get worse when you lean over or bend down, when you touch your face (especially your cheeks or forehead) and might also feel more severe in chilly, damp weather. If your sinus headache comes from a cold or flu, you’ll have other symptoms, too.

If you have a sinus pressure and nasal congestion, you might develop a sore throat and experience dry (nonproductive) coughing, or develop a wet productive chest cough. This is due to the mucus running down the back of your nose to your throat, where it can cause additional irritation.

If sinus pressure and nasal congestion are caused by an infection, arise in temperature may soon join the mix of symptoms. A sinus infection can trigger some whole-body symptoms as your immune system fights to keep the infection at bay—which may cause fatigue or a fever.