Bishop S. (2013). Thankfully, both of these conditions are treatable. 960 Johnson Ferry Rd Sinusitis is usually caused by a virus, but bacterial infections also can cause it. Leukotriene antagonist drugs may be prescribed, and surgery may be considered in cases of a deviated septum. LOSS OF SMELL is happening in about 50% of patients with Delta Variant COVID. For COVID-19, the incubation period can range anywhere from two to 14 days. Your doctor might check your mucus or do an imaging test to confirm the diagnosis. Culture techniques or even PCR technology may be used to identify specific pathogens. A sinus infection, on the other hand, occurs when your nasal passages become inflamed. They need to sleep. document.addEventListener( 'DOMContentLoaded', function() { However patients with a history of relapsing sinus infections may have more difficult bacteria such as Staphylococcus or very tricky non typical respiratory bacteria. This article explains how to tell the difference between a a sinus infection and COVID-19. Some antihistamines, such as Benadryl, are usually taken for short-term relief. If your allergies have you particularly congested, they might also prescribe a decongestant. However, if your doctor thinks your sinus infection is bacteria-related, they may prescribe an antibiotic. At home this can be done by using a nasal saline solution or Neti pot. "If we have a patient who's younger, if we have a patient who's vaccinated, if we have a patient who recently recovered from delta, we're tending to see very mild disease with omicron," says Griffin. You can support more innovations fueling advances across medicine, science, health and wellness by giving today. This may be present with runny nose as well, usually on both sides. Additionally, if you have any symptoms which are in any way associated with COVID-19, you should follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines regarding testing and quarantining and contact your healthcare provider. If your infections occur more frequently, and your doctor really wants to establish if they are bacterial or viral, your Otolaryngologist or ear, nose and throat doctor can sample the snot from your nose when youre infected and send it to a laboratory to know for sure. Youll need to take the full prescription, even if you start feeling better within a day or two. Your doctor might take a watchful waiting approach to see if your immune system can fight the infection. advice every day. Some viral sinus infections, as when the condition is a complication of a common cold, can be contagious. Your source for health, wellness, innovation and discovery news from the experts at Ohio State. But Omicron patients report fewer instances of fever, cough, and loss of taste or smell. Most of those patients were vaccinated, he said, so their symptoms tended to be milder and relatively short-lived. You cannot rule out COVID-19 without a test, says UNC Health family medicine physician Sarah Ruff, MD. } You have a fever (over 100.4 degrees) that persists beyond a few days. 6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e, RELATED: How to Reduce Inflammation in the Body Fast. Get the best food tips and diet If you have respiratory symptoms, your doctor can use several tests to find out what is causing themfor example, if you have a sinus infection, COVID, or another condition. With allergic rhinitis, you can have the above symptoms as well as itchy eyes. Wash your hands frequently and avoid touching your nose, mouth or eyes. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. How long are you most contagious after a COVID-19 infection? Treatment depends on the cause but can include medications to decrease inflammation and treat the infection. Is that winter sniffle a cold or a sinus infection? These droplets can land in the mouth or nose of someone nearby or be inhaled. Still, these two conditions have different causes and symptoms. Learn about tips for relieving symptoms like inflammation, nasal congestion, and irritation. COVID-19 and sinus infections both involve the respiratory system. Before Omicron, Moreno said, his COVID-19 patients used to feel sick for about 10 to 14 days. While its possible that you have the virus, your symptoms could also be caused by another condition, such as a cold or a sinus infection. "They're not short of breath, and really the lungs are OK," says Roberts, of Yale. As one of the largest academic health centers and health sciences campuses in the nation, we are uniquely positioned with renowned experts covering all aspects of health, wellness, science, research and education. The treatments for each condition are also different, which is why its important to see a doctor and get an accurate diagnosis. You should also see your doctor if your OTC antihistamines arent working. Dr. Rogers is an otolaryngologist in the Atlanta Georgia (USA) area since 2005 and specializes in seeing chronic sinusitis patients and patients with chronic nasal allergy complaints. Back in June, when the Delta variant was dominant in the UK, loss of smell was the sixth most common COVID-19 symptom among fully vaccinated people. This all depends on the severity of the virus. But oddly about half of patients have no runny nose at this point. "We didn't need to do any complicated statistics to see the difference.". Suite 200, Atlanta 30342, Hearing Loss & Cognitive Decline Progression. Sinusitis. ", Omicron is spreading at lightning speed. Symptoms like bad breath, yellow or green mucus, fever and headache are not reliable signs of a bacterial infection, he says. COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by a new virus that causes respiratory illness (like the flu) with symptoms such as a cough, fever, and, in more severe cases, difficulty breathing. Vaccination reduces your risk of COVID death 90% or more. Your provider may prescribe antibiotics if your symptoms last longer than 10 to 14 days. Mark Gurarie is a freelance writer, editor, and adjunct lecturer of writing composition at George Washington University. Also ask your doctor about recommendations for other medications you can take as preventive measures. And this reflects what doctors across the country are now seeing firsthand with their patients. If you have allergies, figuring out your triggers and trying to avoid them will help prevent a flare-up of symptoms that could lead to a sinus infection. There was a strong tendency toward SEVERE SORE THROAT and even GI upset moreso. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Doctors studying Omicron's spread around the world have found new clues to the pattern of symptoms caused by the highly-mutated COVID-19 variant, which a growing number of reports suggest might . UNC researchers are spreading the word about these disparities and starting a conversation about how to change them. You might need antibiotics for a sinus infection that does not get better on its own with home remedies or over-the-counter medications. Dr. Jorge Moreno said he's seen an influx of COVID-19 cases lately at his outpatient clinic in Connecticut. Even your doctor cant tell if your infection is viral or bacterial based solely on symptoms or an exam.. "The most reported symptoms of Omicron are really very much like a cold, especially in people who've been vaccinated," Dr. Claire Steves, a scientist involved with the Zoe COVID Symptom Study, said in a recent video. Then the researchers looked to see if there was a difference between people infected during the end of the delta wave and those infected during the early stage of the omicron wave. It offers a comprehensive look at how COVID-19 symptoms have changed over the course of the pandemic most notably, with the advent of the Delta and Omicron variants. The only way to know for sure is to see your doctor. COVID-19 is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, a type of coronavirus. Xu and her colleagues found that the risk of needing to go to the ER dropped from about 15% during the delta surge to 5% during the early omicron surge (about a 70% decrease) and the risk of being hospitalized dropped from 4% to 2% (or by 50%). An Ohio State expert explains what to expect. Bacterial and fungal sinus infections often arise this way. For example, if you're over age 65, your risk of being hospitalized with COVID-19 is still 5% with the omicron variant, which means 1 in 20 people infected in this age group will end up in the hospital. While COVID and sinus infections share some symptoms, they are caused by completely different things. On average, adults have two to four colds a year, with infants and young children experiencing six to eight. A bacterial sinus infection will last seven to 10 days or longer and may get worse after a week. Persisting sinus headache affecting the frontal and ethmoid sinus areas (regions between the eyes and up onto the forehead) is the most common symptom following bacterial-negative COVID sinusitis. How to tell. This causes an inflammation of the tissues, preventing mucus from exiting the body, and making the sinuses a kind of breeding-ground for germs. To help alleviate your symptoms, stock up on nonprescription pain relievers, fever reducers, decongestants and cough drops. Cleveland Clinic 1995-2023. "Cough is still part of the symptoms," Moreno said. Simply because the Omicron variant is new, there's little research about its link to long COVID, the physical, neurological, and cognitive symptoms that can persist indefinitely after infection. The exception is if youve never been diagnosed with allergies before or if your allergies seem to be getting worse. Occurring in an estimated 11.6% of American adults, these infections of the nasal passages tend to be more severe. The appropriate treatment for you will depend on what is causing the infection. Some of the most common symptoms include a sinus headache, runny nose, nasal congestion, sore throat, fatigue, and sneezing. You are not the only one! The overlap in symptoms between COVID-19 and sinus infections (sinusitis) make it difficult to tell the two apart. If they're reporting it, they're saying that their throat feels raw.". Omicron may also change the way the virus replicates or congregates in the body. When they become blocked and filled with fluid, bacteria can grow there and cause. In contrast, delta took about four days, and the original variant took more than five. Some steps that you can take will help reduce your risk of either condition, but each also has specific precautions that will help lower your risk. Sinusitis vs. COVID-19. What Is a Sinus Infection? And after COVID being around for almost 2 years now, it's no surprise that people are starting to become less reactive to it. If this persists, smell training therapy can help, though sometimes (rarely) this loss is permanent. Typically we allow 7 to 10 days for an acute sinus infection to resolve on its own, but after this point antibiotics or anti-inflammatories or other specialized medications may be needed. The latest from Ohio State Health & Discovery delivered right to your inbox. Nasal congestion and swelling, facial pressure, pain, fever, too much mucus. Allergies are also treated with antihistamines. This article covers the key similarities and differences between the common cold and sinus infection, as well as what care looks like for these respiratory diseases. How to protect yourself & others. Although that could definitely still happen with omicron, the risk appears to be lower than it was with delta. Rest, relaxation, and fluids are great home remedies. You may be a good candidate for allergy shots, which can lessen the way your body reacts to allergens over time. Doctors treat viral and bacterial sinus infectionsverydifferently. If you've been exposed to someone with the virus or have COVID-19 symptoms and are waiting for a . When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. That's why, she says, everyone should be vaccinated and boosted. Learn some practical steps you can take to ease your symptoms. As of February 2023, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had approved two drugs to treat COVID-19: The FDA has granted emergency-use authorizations to a handful of medications that have not yet completed the formal FDA-approval process. Congestion, headache, fever, sore throat, and cough are some examples of symptoms that the two share. Sore throat Hoarse voice Cough Fatigue Nasal congestion Runny nose Headache Muscle aches Unlike earlier variants like delta that affected the lungs, omicron and its subvariants tend to cause more. Whether your sinus infection turns out to be viral or bacterial, you can help to ease your symptoms early on with supportive sinus care: If your symptoms arent improving after one week, its important to see your doctor. The only way to know what you have for sure is to see a healthcare provider. For example, if someone has a mild case, they can generally treat their symptoms at home. They need rest. Rosenfeld RM, Piccirillo JF, Chandrasekhar SS, et al. Discover risk factors such as sinus infections. While mild fever may accompany early onset of the cold and is common in children or infants with it, its not a typical feature of this illness in adults. Omicron seems to cause LESS loss of smell due to reduced affinity for the nerve endings! This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Her symptoms were similar like a terrible sinus infection and congestion. The Anosmia/smell dysfunction returned and Im maybe even seeing this smell loss LAST LONGER than the original COVID variants. By Emily Brown, MPH Heres a quick breakdown: While most coldsand even sinus infectionsclear up on their own, its important to know when you need medical help. However, bacterial sinusitis cant be transmitted from person to person. By contrast, fatigue became more pronounced among outpatients, who often reported feeling tired and achy, Moreno said. Youre experiencing changes in vision or mental function. "People that are vaccinated have a middle-of-the-way course. So some of this lower risk could be because of vaccination, but the data altogether suggests that there is a reduced risk for hospitalization with the omicron variant compared with the delta variant. However, sinus infections have rarely been associated with COVID. You can support more innovations fueling advances across medicine, science, health and wellness by giving today. Your doctor will decide which is appropriate based on factors like your symptoms and whether you know you were exposed to someone with the virus. This fits with early data from the U.K. showing that fever and cough are not as prevalent with omicron cases there and that the five top symptoms are runny nose, headache, fatigue, sneezing and sore throat. So its important to wait and see how long your symptoms last. However, if you develop severe illness, you may need to receive medical care in the hospital. You should also make an appointment if your symptoms worsen or fail to improve despite home treatments. Several types of COVID tests are available. Another difference is the timeline. 2023 Dotdash Media, Inc. All rights reserved, Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. A sinus infection, or sinusitis, occurs when the air-filled pockets in the face, called sinuses, fill up with fluid, inflaming the sinus lining and preventing them from draining.