Advertising on our site helps support our mission. Patients with chronic sinusitis have complaints of nasal blockage, facial pressure, eye pressure, runny nose, postnasal drip and headache. The two share certain symptoms, but also have differences. This may show up almost like non specific concussion symptoms with fatigue, mental fatigue, eye fatigue, non specific dizziness, feeling dizzy in wide open places, or feeling dizzy in busy indoor areas. Your immune system responds by releasing a chemical called histamine, which can then cause symptoms such as headache, sneezing, and congestion. There's now data indicating just how severe its symptoms might be. "People that are unvaccinated go through a little bit of a longer and tougher course," Moreno said. You cant, unfortunatelybecause the symptoms are so similar, you should be tested for COVID-19. How to Treat a Mild Case of Omicron at Home, Walker says, "Most people will liken their Omicron symptoms to a head cold. This is especially important as cases continue to rise. Both allergies and sinus infections can feel miserable. Xu and her team estimate that, in their study, about 60% of the people were vaccinated. The most common risk factors for sinus infections include: While many sinus infections are complications of a common cold due to a virus, sometimes bacteria and fungi can cause a superimposed infection that is more difficult for the bodys immune system to fight off. The highly contagious variant continues to spread across the U.S. and many hospitals remain overcrowded with COVID patients. South Africa's largest health insurer listed nasal congestion, sore or scratchy throat, dry cough and lower back pain as common Omicron symptoms. ", "While omicron does appear to be less severe compared to delta, especially in those vaccinated, it does not mean it should be categorized as 'mild,' " said the World Health Organization's director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, on Thursday. An Ohio State dermatologist weighs in. Were swabbing everyone at my clinic with a respiratory viral panel, which is the same COVID swab, but in addition to COVID, it tells you what virus you have, such as rhinovirus (common cold) or a number of other respiratory viruses; even the flu.. Causes: The common cold arises due to infection from any of 200 viruses, with rhinovirus being the most common.While viral infections also cause most sinus infections, more severe types arise due to bacteria exposure. Sure Signs You're Getting Omicron Now, Say Doctors Loss of smell was also relatively rare among Omicron patients. Her symptoms were similar like a terrible sinus infection and congestion. Youll need to take the full prescription, even if you start feeling better within a day or two. Is It a Sinus Infection or COVID-19? How to Tell - Healthline 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. Treatments include a combinations of medications that are approved to treat COVID-19 and new drugs that have emergency-use authorizations to use for COVID-19, and ones that COVID-19 is an off-label use. "Stress not only changes our ability to ward off illness but also decreases our ability to do things that keep us healthy, including getting plenty of sleep, eating well, and exercising. "It just seems that people who have been vaccinated ahead of time are getting much milder symptoms across the board," he says. Sinus infections most often occur after a cold or an allergy flare-up or in relation to a nasal condition. And is your infection caused by a virus or bacteria and does it really matter? Do You Have Just a Sore Throat or Is It Strep? Sinusitis is an inflammation of the sinuses. As a result, you should experience fewer symptoms. Meanwhile, 44% of people in that group reported a persistent cough, and 29% reported a fever. They are highly contagious, with younger children, seniors, those with respiratory conditions, and those with compromised immunity more prone. A December study from the University of Hong Kong, which hasn't been peer-reviewed, found that Omicron replicated 70 times faster in the main airways, or bronchi, compared with Delta, but 10 times slower in the lung tissue. A doctor may recommend endoscopic sinus surgery if you're experiencing recurrent sinus infections or have a sinus blockage. every day. Feminine Odor Problems? You can support more innovations fueling advances across medicine, science, health and wellness by giving today. Allergy medications wont get rid of sinus infections, though. And this reflects what doctors across the country are now seeing firsthand with their patients. Sinus infections, and related sinus pressure, can cause toothaches. Sniffles (Nasal Congestion and Discharge). Then check in with your doctor for a prescription and let him or her know if your condition worsens. If your allergies have you particularly congested, they might also prescribe a decongestant. Sinus infections and COVID are not caused by the same things. While allergies tend to come up during childhood, its possible to develop allergies to new substances as an adult. Its thought that the initial site of COVID-19 entry for most patients is the nasal passages. The variant looked wildly different from earlier versions of the coronavirus and it quickly became clear that these mutations gave omicron an uncanny ability to sidestep our vaccines and spread very rapidly. ", RELATED: Over 60? 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 . The omicron variant now represents nearly every Covid case sequenced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 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. Differences. If symptoms persist or worsen after 10 days, doctors may prescribe: Chronic sinus infection requires additional treatment focused on managing the severity of symptoms. For example, make sure you wash your hands often and try not to touch your face, nose, or eyes during cold/flu season. The latest from Ohio State Health & Discovery delivered right to your inbox. If you have severe congestion with either, then an over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription decongestant can help by breaking up mucus in your nasal cavities. The best ways to clear up viral infections are with the following methods: Viral infections cant be treated with antibiotics. At the same time, it appears anecdotally at least that certain symptoms show up more with omicron than they did with delta. Learn more about what yellow, green, brown, black, and red. For example, the virus that causes the common cold attacks the lining of your sinuses and causes them to swell up. 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. Most people dont require special treatment for the common cold, and theres no vaccine or outright cure. Heres what you need to know about both kinds of infections and how to treat them. COVID-19 can only be diagnosed through a test that specifically looks for the SARS-CoV-2 virus in your body. How to know if those are Omicron COVID symptoms, or just a common cold Verywell Health's content is for informational and educational purposes only. "Therefore, people who are chronically ill, immunocompromised, or older adults are at greater risk of getting infected. If they're reporting it, they're saying that their throat feels raw.". Whats the Difference Between Walking Pneumonia and Regular Pneumonia? If you suspect you have any of the symptoms mentioned here, get tested ASAP. Another difference is the timeline. A sinus infection occurs when viruses or bacteria cause inflammation and fluid buildup inside your sinuses. A study published online on Jan. 2 provides some of the first compelling evidence from the U.S. that the chance of ending up in the hospital is lower with omicron compared with the delta variant. Adults have sinuses behind their cheeks, nose, and forehead. 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. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. ", Omicron is spreading at lightning speed. Another not-yet-peer-reviewed study, published on Wednesday, found that Omicron inherently reduced the risk of severe hospitalization or death from COVID-19 by 25% compared with Delta. After all, COVID-19 is running rampant throughout the world and loss of sense of smell is one of the signs of infection. So how can you tell the difference? 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. 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. Glasses vs. contacts: Which is safer for eyes. And just like earlier variants, omicron can't be defined as causing only a narrow group of symptoms. While you can take an at-home COVID-19 test, these are not 100% accurate. Rosenfeld RM, Piccirillo JF, Chandrasekhar SS, et al. The two conditions can have symptoms that overlap, but some symptoms are more likely to occur in one and not the other. OMICRON VARIANT BA.2: These started popping up late December 21. As more mucus is produced, buildup occurs and provides a place for bacteria to grow, which leads to infection. In infants and the elderly, the symptoms can be more severe. Frequent handwashing is also a must. In severe cases, you may need to be treated by an ear, nose and throat doctor. Long-term (chronic) or severe allergies benefit more from daily treatments, such as Zyrtec or Claritin. Infections like RSV and the flu. 8. In particular, Xu and her team observed a similar reduction in risk across all age groups, including children under age 5, who are not eligible for vaccination, and children ages 5 to 15, who may have been vaccinated but haven't been boosted. A bacterial sinus infection will last seven to 10 days or longer and may get worse after a week. Culturing it in a laboratory will reveal which type of bacteria is causing the infection so the right antibiotic can be prescribed. The information in this article is current as of the date listed, which means newer information may be available when you read this. Some viral sinus infections, as when the condition is a complication of a common cold, can be contagious. A diet rich in antioxidants can help with chronic inflammation. So its important to wait and see how long your symptoms last. Proper diagnosis is essential, and the doctor will need to know whether you have viral or bacterial sinusitis. 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. While sinus infections (also known as sinusitis) share many symptoms with the common cold and can be a complication of it, there are some key differences. Additionally, some people who have COVID do not have any symptoms. They canoccurwith viral infections, too. But dont look for an antibiotic unless your illness extends beyond a week, he says. Symptoms of a sinus infection may also include dental pain, bad breath, green or yellow mucus, and facial pain. 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 example, an omicron infection may lead to complications of an existing condition such as diabetes or heart failure. Along with nasal congestion and headache, sinusitis causes pain around your cheeks and eyes. Get health and wellness tips and information from UNC Health experts once a month! Cleveland Clinic. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. While in the past this has usually turned out to be a sinus infection, youre not so sure this time. Omicron Infection Timeline: Exposure to Immunity - Health 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). However, it may be helpful to avoid the substances you know youre allergic to as often as you can. Do you have a sinus infection or COVID-19? - Ohio State University One of the key differences is the itchiness of your eyes and skin that can occur with allergies, as well as the thick, yellow or green . As we enter the second winter season of the COVID-19 pandemic, it can still be confusing trying to tell the difference between winter allergies and COVID symptoms. Your Face Mask Can Help, How To Protect Yourself From New COVID-19 Variants. We are also seeing a higher number of unvaccinated and unboosted people getting hospitalized." A bacterial sinus infection will last seven to 10 days or longer and may get worse after a week. There's now data indicating just how severe its symptoms might be. Several studies have found that the incubation period the time it takes to develop symptoms after being exposed is about three days. He added, "It's not as bad as it was." 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. However, the CDC notes this list is not exhaustive, and people might experience different symptoms or combinations of symptoms . 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 . Learn more about the. Some of these antihistamines also have an added decongestant to them. So how are respiratory diseases like this diagnosed? All Rights Reserved. Sinusitis is most often caused by viruses. Be on . Sore or Scratchy Throat May Be Early Sign of Omicron: Doctors Children's Wisconsin. Endoscopic Sinus Surgery: The Procedure and Recovery Process. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Its probably anothersinus infection. These Are the 3 Main Symptoms of the Omicron Variant - Yahoo News Allergy Cough vs. COVID Cough: What Are the Differences? LOSS OF SMELL is happening in about 50% of patients with Delta Variant COVID. Yes. Basically, when your immune system is already fighting off a disease, its easier for other pathogens to infect. xhr.open('POST', 'https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', true); Do You Have a Sinus Infection or COVID-19? - GoodRx You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our. 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. on Hearing Aids Better For Dementia Than Pills? 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. For example, if you have seasonal allergies to pollen, avoid going outdoors when the counts are at their highest. Doctors try not to prescribe antibiotics unless they are definitely necessary because the over-prescription of antibiotics contributes to the rise of bacteria that is resistant to these drugs. Doctors offer advice about omicron and the holidays "People that are vaccinated have a middle-of-the-way course. Therefore, if you are stressed, you may be at greater risk for contracting Omicron, as the body's defense system is not as robust. Omicron may also change the way the virus replicates or congregates in the body. Whats the main difference between sinus infection and COVID-19? 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. If symptoms dont go away after three months, youre considered to have a chronic sinus infection. Despite their overlap, there are some notable differences between sinus infections and COVID-19 as well. A sinus infection (sinusitis) occurs when the lining of your sinuses becomes inflamed. This may be present with runny nose as well, usually on both sides. 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. Certainly, while most healthy people will only have mild symptoms, this virus still can cause severe illness in people who are immunosuppressed, including the elderly. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. You dont ever treat with antibiotics unless its been more than 10 to 14 days because, in that situation, you may have a bacterial infection, Dr. Ruff says. But experts say symptoms are more like colds and medics have urged the . Sinusitis can occur at any time of the year, but it tends to flare up in cold and flu season and during allergy seasons. Allergies are also treated with antihistamines. "They're young people that typically can push through things. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Heather Newgen has two decades of experience reporting and writing about health, fitness, entertainment and travel. Use a saline mist spray to hydrate nasal passages. EatThis.com is part of the AllRecipes Food Group. If you have a negative COVID test, we can see you and determine if you have an actual sinus infection and then determine the best treatment, Dr. Ruff says. A sinus infection can take several days to improve, but sometimes youll need prescription medications until you start feeling better at all. If you have respiratory symptoms, its best to talk to your doctor. congestion or runny nose. } ); 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. Walker says, "Omicron symptoms tend to be more concentrated on the upper respiratory tract. While COVID and sinus infections share some symptoms, they are caused by completely different things. Your doctor might take a watchful waiting approach to see if your immune system can fight the infection. Loss of taste or smell was even less common, as the chart below shows. A bacterial sinus infection will often persist for seven to 10 days or longer, and may actually worsen after seven days. Sinus Infection vs. COVID-19: What Are the Differences? - Verywell Health COVID-19 quarantine and isolation. And fewer patients have symptoms related to lower respiratory problems, such as shortness of breath, says Vanchiere, including older patients. Sinus infection is a condition in which the cavities around the nasal passages become inflamed. UNC researchers are spreading the word about these disparities and starting a conversation about how to change them. By Emily Brown, MPH There was a strong tendency toward SEVERE SORE THROAT and even GI upset moreso. People with Omicron may report symptoms like nausea more often because loss of smell is less prevalent with the new variant, said Andrew Pekosz, a professor of molecular microbiology and. 1. Severe allergies can lead to a cold-like condition called allergic rhinitis. On Friday Sep 17th 2021 The FDA Advisory Panel made new recommendations about a third [], COVID and Hearing Health Most otolaryngologists will agree that hearing complaints are on the rise [], 2021 Advanced Ear, Nose and Throat Associates, PC, on Hearing Loss & Cognitive Decline Progression. "So this is really something that's different between omicron and delta," Xu says. Sinusitis is usually caused by a virus, but bacterial infections also can cause it. Dr. Jorge Moreno said he's seen an influx of COVID-19 cases lately at his outpatient clinic in Connecticut. However, Omicron should not be blown off or not taken seriously. John Carew, MD, is board-certified in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery. Omicron vs. Allergy Symptoms Though COVID-19 and allergies are caused by significantly different thingsthe SARS-CoV-2 virus and airborne substances like pollen, respectivelythe two can. They need to sleep. 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. ", 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. You can protect yourself from COVID-19 by washing your hands . Heather currently freelances for several publications. 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. Sarah Ruff, MD is a family medicine physician at UNC Family Medicine at Southpoint. However, if your symptoms worsen or last longer than two weeks, you should see your doctor for some relief. Omicron seems to be milder, but does seem to cause infections in many people with the vaccine. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Common sinus infection bacteria are often Streptococcus species, Moraxella, or Haemophilus. Doctors treat viral and bacterial sinus infectionsverydifferently. How to Tell If Its Allergy or Infection. The omicron variant of the coronavirus has surged in the U.K. and is now dominant in the U.S. as well. COVID-19 vs. Flu vs. RSV: How to tell the difference between - Labcorp While you may experience a fever, headache, and cough if you have COVID, you can also have these and other respiratory symptoms if you have another infection or condition. Symptoms of COVID-19. } else { runny nose stuffy nose sore throat "Omicron, [meanwhile,] is less likely to invade the lungs," Dr. Singh says.