Is The Bump On The Roof Of My Mouth A Sinus Infection? (4 Types Of Sinus Infections & How Long They Last)

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A strange bump forming on the roof of your mouth can be an obvious sign of a sinus infection. You can confirm this by evaluating other common symptoms like a runny or stuffed nose, facial pain, and headaches. If this is the case, you can easily treat your symptoms with instant home cures like steam inhalation, drinking hot fluids, and using nasal irrigation techniques. Yet, if you’re sure you’ve not got a sinus infection, you might have to look at other possibilities, like various allergies, irritations, and inflammations that can cause the bump on the roof of your mouth. In rare instances, if your bump is painless and hard, you might be facing a risk of a tumor that might develop into oral cancer. If that’s a possibility, immediate consultation with your doctor would be needed.

Have you ever wondered why the common cold is so common? Cold viruses can easily enter our bodies through our eyes, nose, and mouth.

The virus can spread amongst us through tiny droplets in the air when someone with a cold is speaking to us and coughs or sneezes without covering their mouth.

You might think nothing of it at that moment. But it could be the source of your misery for the next few weeks. Sinus infections can happen to you during seasonal allergies or after you recover from a cold.

Smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke also might increase your risk of getting a sinus infection. So now you know why it’s so common.

Can sinus infections cause a bump on the roof of our mouth? What types of sinus infections, and how long can they last?

What other symptoms can you expect from a sinus infection, and how can you treat it with home remedies? What are the other possible causes for the bump on the roof of your mouth? Can this bump be a sign of something serious?

Can a sinus infection cause a bump on the roof of my mouth?

A sinus infection happens when fluid collects in air-filled pockets of your face.

When these fluids collect, it creates space for germs to grow. So while the most common culprit for sinus infections are viruses, certain bacteria too can trigger these infections.

This fluid collection can easily block your salivary glands, forming a cyst. This might be why you feel a bump forming on the roof of your mouth.

You can rule in this strange lump as a symptom of a sinus infection. It might also persist for quite a while until you fully recover from your sinusitis.

Four types of sinus infections and how long they last

There are four types of sinus infections, all of which can cause bumps along the roof of your mouth.

They are categorized according to the length and intensity of your infection, as listed below.

  1. Acute sinusitis – This may come as a short seasonal allergy that lasts for a short period. According to the American Academy of Otolaryngology, this infection is said to last less than 4 weeks. Bacterial and viral infections are known to trigger this condition known as the common cold.
  2. Subacute sinusitis – This type of sinusitis represents a progression of your common cold symptoms for 4 to 12 weeks. Seeking medical help would be advised, especially if you’re experiencing a fever with your infection.
  3. Recurrent acute sinusitis – If your sinus infection is something you deal with on a recurrent basis, surfacing and resurfacing more than 4 times a year, this is the condition you’re dealing with. At this point, your sinusitis would be a noticeable burden for you, and getting medication might be the best option.
  4. Chronic sinusitis – At this developed stage, you’d notice that home remedies aren’t doing you much good. When your infection symptoms last for more than 12 weeks and keep recurring, you’ll need a prescription from your doctor to help control your infection.

What else can you expect from a sinus infection?

We’ve all lived through a sinus infection at some point in our lives, maybe without even realizing it. However, the symptoms you experience might differ.

A woman with a sinus infection is experiencing a bad headache, one of the  symptoms of a sinus infection.

While most sinus infections only last a couple of days or a few weeks, they’re not something you should panic about unless it progresses.

You can easily turn to home remedies to treat your symptoms.

The most common symptoms, along with handy at-home treatments, are listed below:

  1. Stuffed or runny nose – The best-known cure for either of these symptoms is using a humidifier or manual steam inhalation. The benefits of steam inhalation on a blocked nose have been proven by many studies. You could even use the therapy of a hot shower to soothe and open up your nasal passages.
  2. Facial pain – You might feel a certain excess weight on your forehead due to the pressure that comes with sinusitis. You can use techniques of flushing to help ease this pain. For this, fill a Neti pot with a concoction of salt and water and use it to flush out your nasal passages. A 2019 study revealed this form of nasal irrigation to be very effective in clearing up mucus and relieving the pressure felt on your face with sinusitis. 
  3. Headache – For this symptom, resting and hydration play a mutually beneficial role because being dehydrated is known to worsen symptoms of headaches. So, by drinking lots of fluids, such as water, warm soups, and fresh juices, you can ensure a de-clogging of mucus. By getting a lot of rest as well, your body will find it easier to fight off your infection and speed up your recovery process.
  4. Cough and sore throat – For these two symptoms, you can use antihistamines. But if it’s a quick home remedy you’re looking for, you can resort to the intake of warm fluids like teas, hot soups, and even essential oils. A 2008 study conducted by the US National Library of Medicine proved that a hot drink could provide immediate and sustained relief from symptoms like cough and sore throat in all patients. 
  5. Bad breath – This is a very common symptom of any infection and can be quite a troublesome one, too, if you have a highly social life. The quickest and easiest way to get rid of your bad breath is to gargle warm salt water. You can do this by mixing about half a teaspoon of salt with 8 ounces of warm water and gargling it on your throat for about 30 seconds. Repeat this process about 3 to 4 times, and you’ll be good to go. Various medical studies have proved this positive effect. 

Leading causes for swelling on the roof of your mouth

We shouldn’t rule out other possible medical conditions for the bump on your mouth, as a sinus infection is simply one item on that list.

There is another wide variety of reasons that can trigger a bump on the roof of your mouth, and we’ll be addressing all these possibilities with the help of a table.

Allergies that cause bumps on the roof of the mouthInflammatory cases that trigger bumps on the roof of the mouthSpecific irritations that cause bumps on the roof of the mouth
Food allergiesOxygen therapyOverly spicy foods
Makeup and other beauty productsChemotherapyExposure to cigarette smoke
Medication-induced allergiesRadiation therapy around the areas of your head and neckChewing of tobacco
Insect stings or even bites on your facial area.Lack of oral hygieneAlcohol, in some instances
Oral health product allergiesA low-quality protein dietDrinking very hot beverages.


Can a bump on the roof of your mouth be serious?

If you feel like the bump on the roof of your mouth has persisted for an unusually long period, it’s normal to get concerned.

A woman is clenching her mouth as the roof of her mouth has a painful bump

A bump that doesn’t go down once your sinus infection clears up or doesn’t disappear after a while on its own could hint at hereditary or more serious medical conditions.

Hereditary swelling can happen in your mouth, along your throat, and also in different parts of your body.

This condition is known as edema and, if allowed to progress, can interfere with your ability to talk and breathe. So, immediate consultation with your doctor is called for in such situations.

Other causes for abnormal swelling on the roof of your mouth can sadly include tumors or other types of mouth ulcers. If you leave your tumor untreated, it may develop into oral cancer.

Mouth cancer can happen on the roof of your mouth, the surface of your tongue, the insides of your cheeks, lips, and even on your gums. Especially if your lump is painless and feels hard, there’s a chance that you might be facing oral cancer.

Conclusion

It’s incredible how a simple bump in our body might call for various possible medical conditions.

When we usually notice such an unusual symptom, we automatically try to narrow down the possibilities to a most likely one by ourselves. In this case, the most likely condition would be a sinus infection, especially if you’re experiencing the other symptoms included in that package.

However, we all can have our doubts, and the only person that can perfectly pinpoint the exact root cause of the bump will always be a medical professional.

So, if your bump doesn’t go down after a few weeks of your sinuses clearing up and if you’re experiencing other uncommon symptoms associated with a simple sinus infection, take it as a signal sent by your body to get a medical check-up done. 

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Kavisha Rodrigo
I'm a sports person that enjoys researching into pushing the limitations of the human body. When it comes to health, I'm a big fan of working out and staying healthy. For hobbies, I'm a big fan of Pokemon and Coldplay.

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