Its also possible to feel foggy and develop a skin rash. Youll need to take the full prescription, even if you start feeling better within a day or two. Your provider may prescribe antibiotics if your symptoms last longer than 10 to 14 days. Verywell Health's content is for informational and educational purposes only. Yellow, Green, Brown, and More: What Does the Color of My Snot Mean? 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. A viral sinus infection will usually begin to improve after five to seven days. "Cough is still part of the symptoms," Moreno said. Aside from what causes them, this includes another battery of more unique symptoms. Almost as soon as Omicron started spreading, doctors noticed slight differences in their patients' symptoms relative to prior variants. Two recent lab studies, which haven't been peer-reviewed, suggested that Omicron could be less effective at attacking lung cells compared with prior variants. 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. Mild, coldlike symptoms such as sore throats, sneezing,. This can mean a cold or infection that's progressing. Sarah Ruff, MD is a family medicine physician at UNC Family Medicine at Southpoint. According to the CDC, the Omicron variant spreads more easily than the original SARS-CoV-2 virus and the Delta variant. 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. That all said, this reduction in risk doesn't mean omicron will be mild for everyone. Most sinus infections are caused by viral infections, such as those that cause the common cold, including the rhinovirus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Symptoms like bad breath, yellow or green mucus, fever and headache are not reliable signs of a bacterial infection, he says. So maybe it was just something non covid related Anyway she was exhausted and couldn't work. Treatments your healthcare provider might recommend if you are sick. 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. Treat early sinus infection symptoms with rest, hydration and over-the-counter sprays and decongestants. 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. COVID-19 symptoms tend to have more fatigue, cough, shortness of breath and may have gastrointestinal symptoms, too. Sore throats and runny noses are increasingly common in vaccinated people with Omicron. 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. However this leaves the susceptible person open to sinus infections and ear infections caused by bacteria that may last for several more weeks. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. Allergy Cough vs. COVID Cough: What Are the Differences? Several studies have found that the incubation period the time it takes to develop symptoms after being exposed is about three days. You can support more innovations fueling advances across medicine, science, health and wellness by giving today. Our website services, content, and products are for informational purposes only. The virus spreads from person to person and can cause mild to severe illness. Often the virus starts with a headache and many think they have a sinus infection. Still, doctors have noticed a clear gradient of symptoms based on a person's vaccination status. 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. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our. hide caption. But it has taken longer to untangle what, if anything, sets an omicron illness apart from that of its predecessors. As a result, you should experience fewer symptoms. 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. 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. These block the immune systems histamine-producing response whenever you encounter an allergen. With SARS-CoV-2, the big danger is that a mild illness will turn into a life-threatening one. sore throat. The two conditions can have symptoms that overlap, but some symptoms are more likely to occur in one and not the other. Note:Antibiotics wont help a viral infection, and taking anantibiotic unnecessarilycan do more harm than good. And just like earlier variants, omicron can't be defined as causing only a narrow group of symptoms. A commuter masks up for a bus ride in Liverpool, England. What to Know About Fibromyalgia and COVID-19, Antigen vs. Antibody: Differences and COVID-19 Testing. 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. But Omicron patients report fewer instances of fever, cough, and loss of taste or smell. COVID-19 is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, a type of coronavirus. How can you tell whether your infection is viral or bacterial based on your symptoms? if( 'moc.sihttae.www' !== location.hostname.split('').reverse().join('') ) { Sinusitis is an inflammation of the sinuses. 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. Cases of sinus infection that last longer than 12 weeks are considered chronic. A sinus infection occurs when the fluid builds up in the air-filled pockets in the face (sinuses) and encourages the growth of germs. COVID-19 is only caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. "But people who are fresh, with no preexisting immunity, it's hard to see that the virus is milder. When the nasal cavity gets inflamed, mucus builds up and gets stuck, further compounding the problem. Talk to your teens about their mental health. 1. Explore the differences between allergies and sinus infections so that you can determine the likely cause of your symptoms and seek the appropriate treatment for relief. The most commonly-reported symptoms with the original Omicron variant were cough, fatigue, headache, congestion, and runny nose. Typically, a sinus infection clears up within 2 to 3 weeks. 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%). xhr.send(payload); EatThis.com is part of the AllRecipes Food Group. 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 . Infections like RSV and the flu. A sinus infection can happen after a viral illness but can also be caused by allergies. Lately, he said, people who received a booster shot reported shorter bouts of illness than those who received fewer doses or none at all. Get the best food tips and diet You might need antibiotics for a sinus infection that does not get better on its own with home remedies or over-the-counter medications. But never had any serious fever beyond 100 and O2 levels were rock solid. The rapid ones are getting better and better as far as accuracy goes. 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. When they become blocked and filled with fluid, bacteria can grow there and cause. 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. Doctors treat viral and bacterial sinus infectionsverydifferently. This is why you may feel pain or pressure in your face. All rights reserved. We've all experienced a cold before and it is no fun. You will be notified of your result, which will be either positive (you have COVID) or negative (you do not have COVID). The virus spreads through respiratory droplets released when someone breathes, coughs, sneezes, talks or sings. For instance, common allergy symptoms not associated with COVID-19 include itching and watery eyes. In March, before Delta was detected and vaccines were widely available, 60% of UK adults ages 16 to 65 on the Zoe app reported loss of smell at some point in their illness. Learn more about the. 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. It does, says otolaryngologist Raj Sindwani, MD. Omicron has displaced the once-dominant delta variant in a matter of. If symptoms dont go away after three months, youre considered to have a chronic sinus infection. The symptoms of a sinus infection include coughing, congestion fever and headacheall of which are symptoms of COVID-19, too. The boosted people, in many cases it's almost like an old cold: the sinus symptoms, the sore throat.". The charts below show which Omicron symptoms are most common and how they compare to prior variants. 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. The omicron variant now represents nearly every Covid case sequenced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Policy. 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.