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. Read On, A Medication to Reduce Your Chances of Getting HIV, COVID-19 Shots During Pregnancy Help Mom and Baby, 3 Things Parents Should Know About Bivalent Boosters for Young Children. In contrast, delta took about four days, and the original variant took more than five. People have reported symptoms that vary, but are similar to signs of a common cold or flu. However, there are several key differences: Primarily, sinus infection arises when the sinusesthe passages connecting the mouth, ears, and eyesare exposed to a virus, bacteria or fungi. If you have COVID-19, you may also experience nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, body aches, and loss of taste or smell. We are also seeing a higher number of unvaccinated and unboosted people getting hospitalized." Omicron seems to be milder, but does seem to cause infections in many people with the vaccine. Its also important for doctors to ascertain whether youre experiencing a viral or bacterial infection as that can influence treatment. 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. And among unvaccinated people, he says, an omicron infection can feel like the same unforgiving disease to him. All Rights Reserved. Several types of COVID tests are available. They can talk to you about your symptoms, screen you for COVID risk factors, perform diagnostic tests to determine what is making you sick, and make sure that you get the appropriate treatment. The only way to know what you have for sure is to see a healthcare provider. What to Know About Fibromyalgia and COVID-19, Antigen vs. Antibody: Differences and COVID-19 Testing. Before Omicron, Moreno said, his COVID-19 patients used to feel sick for about 10 to 14 days. Use a saline mist spray to hydrate nasal passages. Sarah Ruff, MD is a family medicine physician at UNC Family Medicine at Southpoint. If they're reporting it, they're saying that their throat feels raw.". They might also choose delayed prescribing, where they prescribe an antibiotic for you but suggest that you wait a few days before taking it to see if the infection clears up on its own. Although you can get sinusitis year around, it tends . Worried That Sore Throat Is Strep? Often the virus starts with a headache and many think they have a sinus infection. Emily is a health communication consultant, writer, and editor at EVR Creative, specializing in public health research and health promotion. } ); Did not lose taste or smell either. Ways that you can deal with a mild COVID infection at home include: If you are hospitalized with COVID, you might be given: There are certain things you can do to prevent sinus infections and protect yourself from the COVID-19 virus. "Many people are still going to be admitted to the ICU, and some people are still going to need to have mechanical ventilation.". Bacterial sinus infection secondary to COVID-19 may be a cause for lingering loss of smell. 8. Sinus infections and COVID are not caused by the same things. Xu and her team estimate that, in their study, about 60% of the people were vaccinated. Typically, youll have facial pain/pressure, headaches, nasal drainage and congestion, decreased or loss of sense of smell, tooth pain and sore throat. If a bacterial infection is suspected, youll probably need to take an antibiotic to clear up the infection and prevent further complications. How can you tell if you have a sinus infection or COVID-19? Many people liken it to a bad cold or sinus infection. Aside from OTC medications, you will want to get plenty of rest and fluids, eat nutrient-rich foods, and keep yourself away from other people until your symptoms have subsided. navigator.sendBeacon('https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', payload); A positive COVID-19 test means you need to isolate. The yellowish tinge comes from white blood cells that rush to the site of the infection and then are swept away after working . So how are respiratory diseases like this diagnosed? Therefore, treatment is much the same, where you can use over-the-counter nasal decongestants, lozenges for a sore throat, and acetaminophen to treat fever, headaches, and body aches. Learn more about what yellow, green, brown, black, and red. As with sinus infections, symptom management as your body develops immunity and fights off the infection is central to care. A sinus infection occurs when the fluid builds up in the air-filled pockets in the face (sinuses) and encourages the growth of germs. I recommend that everyone stock up.. ", RELATED: Over 60? Viruses lead to most sinus infections, but bacteria can. ; Duration: Whereas cold symptoms generally start to improve after . Omicron has displaced the once-dominant delta variant in a matter of. 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. American Lung Association. Clinical practice guideline (update): adult sinusitis, Sinus infection (sinusitis): types, causes, symptoms & treatment, Infection by another virus, bacteria, or fungus, Allergy medications like the antihistamines, Getting plenty of rest and staying hydrated, Antibiotics (for bacterial sinus infection), such as Moxatag (amoxicillin) or Augmentin (amoxicillin/clavulanate potassium). This can mean a cold or infection that's progressing. Discover how doctors determine whether your sinus infection is viral or bacterial. ", RELATED: Secret Weight Loss Tricks to Melt Visceral Fat, Science Says, 4 During the pandemic, the general public has become more aware of COVID-19 symptoms. These include: The best way to treat COVID-19 depends on how sick a person is. While there is a range of COVID symptoms, some of the most common include: Several symptoms of COVID overlap with those of a sinus infection, which means you will not be able to be sure of which condition you have by how you feel alone. In general, people are contagious for two to three days before COVID-19 symptoms start. Health spoke with Julia Walker, a registered nurse with Paloma Health who explained symptoms to watch out for. I have seen more patients with lingering sinusitis after Omicron COVID than prior variants. 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. Sinusitis has a tendency to linger and cause sinus pressure, facial pain, and yellow or green mucus. A bacterial sinus infection will often persist for seven to 10 days or longer, and may actually worsen after seven days. Heres what you need to know about both kinds of infections and how to treat them. To help prevent sinus infections, COVID-19 and other respiratory infections, wear a mask in indoor public places and in a crowd whether youre indoors or outdoors. (By contrast, with the original version of the virus, the rate was 1 in 10. Allergies and sinus infections can have similar symptoms. The omicron variant of the coronavirus has surged in the U.K. and is now dominant in the U.S. as well. And after COVID being around for almost 2 years now, it's no surprise that people are starting to become less reactive to it. After youve tested, call your primary care doctor to schedule an in-person or virtual visit. Many of the patients who are being hospitalized often have some underlying health condition, or they're older and more vulnerable to a viral infection. For the most recent updates on COVID-19, visit ourcoronavirus news page. Despite their overlap, there are some notable differences between sinus infections and COVID-19 as well. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. If you suspect you have any of the symptoms mentioned here, get tested ASAP. As the name suggests, this illness is so contagious and widespread that its the single most common cause of doctor visits in the United States. The omicron subvariant of COVID-19, BA.5, became one of the dominant strains of the virus in the fall of 2022 in the U.S. At that time, it was the most easily spread strain to date and is able to evade immunity from COVID infection and vaccination. And theyre better than nothing, especially on a weekend if you dont have other choices, Dr. Ruff says. Allergies are also treated with antihistamines. To help alleviate your symptoms, stock up on nonprescription pain relievers, fever reducers, decongestants and cough drops. A sinus infection can have a range of other symptoms as well, though they mostly involve the respiratory system. Most of those patients were vaccinated, he said, so their symptoms tended to be milder and relatively short-lived. COVID-19 is a viral infection, which means that many of the same steps that you would take to protect yourself from a cold or the flu (such as washing your hands and avoiding people who are sick) can help lower your risk of getting the virus. Most of these patients retained their sense of smell and had disease course taht was brief 3 days or so. COVID-19 and sinus infections both involve the respiratory system. While in the past this has usually turned out to be a sinus infection, youre not so sure this time. Instead, your doctor lookslargelyat symptom duration to determine the source of your infection. 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. Most sinus infections are caused by viral infections, such as those that cause the common cold, including the rhinovirus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). 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. A commuter masks up for a bus ride in Liverpool, England. And is your infection caused by a virus or bacteria and does it really matter? But oddly about half of patients have no runny nose at this point. Your source for health, wellness, innovation, research and science news from the experts at Ohio State. While COVID and sinus infections share some symptoms, they are caused by completely different things. The omicron variant now represents nearly every Covid case sequenced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The symptoms of the common cold arise within one to two days of infection. Some symptoms are more common in one condition than the other. 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. COVID-19 symptoms tend to have more fatigue, cough, shortness of breath and may have gastrointestinal symptoms, too. Many patients started out with a dry, scratchy throat that caused sharp pain when they swallowed. document.addEventListener( 'DOMContentLoaded', function() { COVID-19 is a contagious respiratory disease caused by infection with the virus SARS-CoV-2. Some photos and videos on this site were filmed prior to the COVID-19 outbreak or may not reflect current physical distancing and/or masking guidelines. He added, "It's not as bad as it was." These block the immune systems histamine-producing response whenever you encounter an allergen. Vaccinated people, he continued, "don't have those respiratory symptoms as much.".