Ohio State's Comprehensive Cancer Center James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute, Find our most recent COVID-19 articles here, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, What its like to get an X-ray, and how to prepare, Cardiologist changing the way we care for womens cardiovascular health, Five signs of heart disease that show up in the bedroom. Read onand to ensure your health and the health of others, don't miss these Sure Signs You've Already Had COVID. But experts say symptoms are more like colds and medics have urged the . 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. Sinusitis is an inflammation of the sinuses.
Allergies or Sinus Infection: How to Tell the Difference - Healthline For COVID-19, the incubation period can range anywhere from two to 14 days.
COVID-19 vs. Flu vs. RSV: How to tell the difference between - Labcorp And after COVID being around for almost 2 years now, it's no surprise that people are starting to become less reactive to it. This is especially important as cases continue to rise. The boosted people, in many cases it's almost like an old cold: the sinus symptoms, the sore throat.".
I thought it was a horrible sinus infection. It was Omicron - reddit On average, adults have two to four colds a year, with infants and young children experiencing six to eight. Two main symptoms of sinus infections include congestion and pain or pressure in your face, nose, or ears.
Omicron makes up 95% of sequenced Covid cases in U.S. as infections hit If youre having symptoms, heres when you should call a doctor: Distinguishing between the common cold and sinus infections can be challenging for patients and healthcare providers. Whether your sinus infection turns out to be viral or bacterial, you can help to ease your symptoms early on with supportive sinus care: Use saline spray two to three times per day in each nostril . "It's mostly that runny nose, sore throat and nasal congestion," says Dr. John Vanchiere, the associate director of the Center for Emerging Viral Threats at LSU Health Shreveport. We've consulted with our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians to bring you informed recommendations for food products, health aids and nutritional goods to safely and successfully guide you toward making better diet and nutrition choices. As at earlier stages in the pandemic, many patients are still having some combination of fever, gastrointestinal problems, aches and pains, brain fog, weakness and, less often, trouble breathing, says Mount Sinai's Carr. If this persists, smell training therapy can help, though sometimes (rarely) this loss is permanent. It usually spreads between people who are in close contact. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sinusitis occurs when your nasal passages become inflamed. A bacterial sinus infection will often persist for seven to 10 days or longer, and may actually worsen after seven days. If you have respiratory symptoms, you might fear that you have COVID. var xhr = new XMLHttpRequest(); The symptoms of a sinus infection include coughing, congestion fever and headacheall of which are symptoms of COVID-19, too. Leukotriene antagonist drugs may be prescribed, and surgery may be considered in cases of a deviated septum. Get the best food tips and diet If you've been exposed to Omicron or think you have the virus, who explained symptoms to watch out for. Worried That Sore Throat Is Strep? With infections at all-time highs in the U.S., the clinical picture is now coming together and starting to confirm what other countries have found a typical case of omicron not only presents slightly differently but also likely carries a lower chance of getting seriously ill. Scientists at Case Western Reserve University have preliminary evidence that the risk of being admitted to the hospital or the intensive care unit during the omicron surge in the U.S. is about half of the risk observed during the delta surge. 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. We are also seeing a higher number of unvaccinated and unboosted people getting hospitalized." Yes. This itchiness is one of the key distinguishing factors between allergies and sinusitis. Learn some practical steps you can take to ease your symptoms. ", RELATED: Over 60? While allergies tend to come up during childhood, its possible to develop allergies to new substances as an adult. 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. How can you tell if you have a sinus infection or COVID-19? Policy. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Stay home, rest and drink lots of fluids. 1 Signs of Omicron iStock Walker says, "Omicron symptoms tend to be more concentrated on the upper respiratory tract. Meanwhile, 44% of people in that group reported a persistent cough, and 29% reported a fever. The highly contagious variant continues to spread across the U.S. and many hospitals remain overcrowded with COVID patients. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Common colds. It does, says otolaryngologist Raj Sindwani, MD. Youre experiencing changes in vision or mental function. The virus spreads through respiratory droplets released when someone breathes, coughs, sneezes, talks or sings. The symptoms of the common cold arise within one to two days of infection. These cases may require additional treatment or surgery. She also ended up with a painful double ear infection. The cause of a sinus infection is inflammation of the sinuses. Typically, the loss of sense of smell associated with a sinus infection is going to be accompanied by more significant symptoms such as facial pain/pressure. Its also important for doctors to ascertain whether youre experiencing a viral or bacterial infection as that can influence treatment. That all said, this reduction in risk doesn't mean omicron will be mild for everyone. "This is a pretty different surge," says Dr. Brendan Carr, chair of emergency medicine for the Mount Sinai Health System where the emergency rooms are busier than ever but many of the COVID-19 patients are not sick enough to be admitted. This causes an inflammation of the tissues, preventing mucus from exiting the body, and making the sinuses a kind of breeding-ground for germs. Many patients started out with a dry, scratchy throat that caused sharp pain when they swallowed. An Ohio State dermatologist weighs in. We strive to only recommend products that adhere to our philosophy of eating better while still enjoying what you eat. Culturing it in a laboratory will reveal which type of bacteria is causing the infection so the right antibiotic can be prescribed. Research published in April 2022 in The Lancet also found that . Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Is it a cold or sinus infection? "People that are vaccinated have a middle-of-the-way course. Medicinal treatment methods vary depending on if the infection is caused by a virus or bacteria. With infections at all-time highs in the U.S., the clinical picture is now coming together and starting to confirm what other countries have found a typical case of omicron not only presents . And theyre better than nothing, especially on a weekend if you dont have other choices, Dr. Ruff says. Both conditions can cause nasal inflammation, along with related symptoms, such as congestion and stuffy nose. A sinus infection, sinusitis, occurs when your sinuses become inflamedand blocked. A sinus infection (sinusitis) occurs when the lining of your sinuses becomes inflamed. Indeed, hospitalizations across the U.S. now stand at more than 126,000, and more than 1 in every 4 ICU beds is filled with a COVID-19 patient, according to the latest data from the Department of Health and Human Services. Most people dont require special treatment for the common cold, and theres no vaccine or outright cure. While it's easy to try and work through it, symptoms of respiratory illnesses like the common cold and sinus infection should never be taken lightly. Learn about treatments to help release the pressure and clear up a toothache. Compare the following symptoms to see if you have allergies or a possible sinus infection. All rights reserved. Sure Signs You're Getting Omicron Now, Say Doctors. With some of these key differences in mind, you may be able to figure out whether youre dealing with allergies or sinusitis and take the necessary steps to start feeling better. For example, if you have a sinus infection that is caused by allergies, your doctor may prescribe an allergy medicine. ", RELATED: The #1 Cause of Diabetes, Say Experts, Walker explains, "When news suggested that the Omicron variant was less severe than the Delta variant, people became increasingly lax about getting COVID. Fatigue. Two main symptoms of sinus infections include congestion and pain or pressure in your face, nose, or ears. "In the older age group, it's still a nasty disease, even if it's less [nasty] than the delta variant," says Dr. Pamela Davis, who's a pulmonologist at Case Western Reserve University and a senior author on the new study.
If you have a sinus infection that is not going away, talk to your doctor about medications and other treatments that can bring you relief. This was the case even before omicron: People who had breakthrough infections tended to have fewer symptoms and milder ones than those who were unvaccinated. For people who are at high risk for severe disease, such as older people or those with underlying health issues, the chance of being hospitalized is still quite significant. The information in this article is current as of the date listed, which means newer information may be available when you read this. otolaryngology-assoc.com/our_services/allergies__sinusitis.aspx, newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/pay-close-attention-to-symptoms-to-determine-if-cause-is-sinus-infection-or-allergies/, health.clevelandclinic.org/cold-really-sinus-infection-tell/, acaai.org/allergies/types/sinus-infection, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17701-sinusitis, Sinus Infection (Sinusitis): What It Is, Symptoms, and More, Nicole Leigh Aaronson, MD, MBA, CPE, FACS, FAAP. You should also make an appointment if your symptoms worsen or fail to improve despite home treatments. "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. A positive COVID-19 test means you need to isolate. In most cases, they resolve without the need for medical care. Those symptoms include a runny nose or sniffles, a headache or body aches,. "But people who are fresh, with no preexisting immunity, it's hard to see that the virus is milder. A sinus infection, on the other hand, occurs when your nasal passages become inflamed. Sinusitis can occur at any time of the year, but it tends to flare up in cold and flu season and during allergy seasons. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Bishop S. (2013). These include: The best way to treat COVID-19 depends on how sick a person is. Learn about tips for relieving symptoms like inflammation, nasal congestion, and irritation. Three that have gained attention are nausea, night sweats and lower back pain. If you're sick, the following is recommended: Additionally, some medications can help, many of which are also used for sinus infections: Making sure your symptoms are more than a cold, and could be those of sinus infection, can be critical for managing the condition. Home remedies can often treat sinus drainage. And this reflects what doctors across the country are now seeing firsthand with their patients. With winter underway and cases of Omicron surging nationwide, you may be wondering if that runny nose or aching throat is a dreaded case of COVID-19 or merely a symptom of the common cold.
Omicron or Respiratory Infection Symptoms? | Eyewitness News - PAhomepage Editors note: As what we know about COVID-19 evolves, so could the information in this story.
COVID-19 Vs. Sinus Infections: Know the Difference | MD Now Emily is a health communication consultant, writer, and editor at EVR Creative, specializing in public health research and health promotion. Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images U.S. Food & Drug Administration. According to the CDC, the Omicron variant spreads more easily than the original SARS-CoV-2 virus and the Delta variant. 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. If you are two weeks after your COVID-19 was diagnosed, and have recovered otherwise but need a visit for sinus evaluation, call us today. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Another preprint study, released earlier this month, showed that the viral load from an Omicron infection peaked in saliva one to two days before it peaked in nasal swabs a sign that Omicron may infect the throat before it infects the nose. Scientists are trying to figure out why. If a person did end up in the hospital, the person's risk of being admitted to the ICU or being put on a ventilator also decreased substantially at the end of December compared with during the delta surge. You cannot tell if you have COVID or a sinus infection just based on your symptoms alone, especially because so many overlap. A viral sinus infection will usually begin to improve after five to seven days.