COVID-19 is easy to confuse with sinusitis. How to tell them apart?

The list of COVID-19 symptoms is long and varied, and symptoms can be mistaken for the flu or a cold. Many people who are infected, before confirming they are infected with COVID-19, have the impression that they have a sinus infection. Sinusitis and Coronavirus – What Are the Differences?

1. Many people with the coronavirus report symptoms that may be confusing with sinusitis. This applies to both vaccinated and unvaccinated people
2. – I had a headache, a bit strange, in the area of ​​the sinuses, so for a moment I wondered if it was not sinusitis – told us Marcelina, who recently had COVID-19 infection
3. How do you distinguish the symptoms of a sinus infection from the coronavirus? We have put together some useful tips below
4. However, there is no substitute for consulting a doctor in case of doubt. If you are not sure what is wrong with you, get help from a medic
5. More information can be found on the Onet homepage

Sinus problem – a symptom of COVID-19 infection

In recent days, we’ve talked to several people who contracted the coronavirus despite having previously been fully vaccinated against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Of the symptoms they mentioned, there was often one that might be mistaken for sinusitis.

– I had a headache for two days, fever, but no more than 38, and my sinuses flowed down the back wall, my nose was blocked, but without a runny nose – Katarzyna told us. – After two days the fever passed, the sinuses remained. After a week he started coughing. It wasn’t what I expected, it wasn’t dry, just wet. I have this discharge all the time, mainly in the morning and in the middle of the night. I’m still coughing up. It feels like I have eaten half a bucket of glue and have to throw it away. The cough was almost vomiting – she added.

– Breakdown, muscle aches, intense cough, thick runny nose with sinus discharge. Only I did not have a fever – Jacek spoke about such symptoms.

1. How do the vaccinated get sick? «I felt like someone was tearing my skin off»

“At first it looked more like a cold, maybe a little bit of a flu. I had a runny nose, a slight cough, my bones were breaking. There was also a headache, a bit strange, in the area of ​​the sinuses, so for a moment I wondered if it was sinusitis, I wasn’t thinking about the coronavirus at the time – Marcellina told us.

– If I hadn’t done the test, I’d be absolutely convinced that I have sinusitis. For me, COVID-19 resembled them to the illusion. First there was a scratchy throat and runny nose, then I started to have sinus problems – I had a headache, my eyes hurt, Joanna said.

Sinusitis or COVID-19? What are the symptoms?

The sinuses are empty spaces that lie around the nose and forehead. Healthy sinuses (cavities) are filled with air. Their task is to produce a thin, slimy secretion needed to moisturize and purify the air we breathe. If fluid accumulates there, it promotes the multiplication of viruses and bacteria, leading to sinus infections.

COVID-19 is a viral disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The virus very often accumulates around the nose and sinuses. Therefore, many of the symptoms of COVID-19 can be very similar to the signs of a sinus infection.

The most common of them are:

1. runny or stuffy nose
2. headache
3. sore throat
4. cough
5. fever
6. fatigue

There are also symptoms of a sinus infection that are unlikely to be COVID-19:

1. sinus pain
2. pressure around the top of the cheeks, forehead or the inside of the eyes
3. runny nose
4. toothache
5. bad breath
6. weakened sense of smell
7. different colored nasal discharge

Pain or pressure around the sinuses and a runny nose are the most indicative signs of a sinus infection. These symptoms usually accompany other symptoms such as a runny or stuffy nose. For bays, it is worth using SinuGrip on the bays of Herbal Monasterium.

1. What are the symptoms of COVID-19 patients now? Doctor: Some people don’t get breathless or lose their sense of smell

Symptoms of COVID-19 that are unlikely to appear with a sinus infection include:

1. dyspnoea
2. body aches and pains
3. intestinal symptoms: nausea, vomiting and diarrhea
4. loss of smell and taste

Poor sense of smell often occurs with sinus infections or a cold, while with COVID-19 its loss may be complete. It does not always have to be accompanied by a runny or stuffy nose. According to scientific studies, the loss of smell and taste caused by the coronavirus takes an average of about 9 days. Most patients regain these senses within 28 days.

The rest of the article under the video.

Zatoka or COVID-19. What are the differences?

Unlike a sinus infection from a coronavirus, the timing and order in which symptoms appear can also help. According to some studies, the symptoms of COVID-19 infection appear in the following order: fever, cough (which is one of the earliest symptoms of flu), muscle aches, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

The symptoms of a sinus infection usually come on suddenly. Symptoms of COVID-19 may appear over a longer period of time, most often it happens gradually from the second to the 14th day after exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

1. Expert: Flu and COVID-19 vaccines can be given in one visit

A sinus infection can also occur after a typical autumn common viral illness, such as a cold or the flu. So if these symptoms occur after another infection, it rather indicates a sinus problem.

It may also be different in the time of year when complaints occur. Viruses that cause flu or colds most often attack in autumn and winter. COVID-19, on the other hand, can attack us at any time of the year.

Sinusitis can also occur after exposure to allergens or irritants such as pollen, pet dander, and cigarette smoke. You may be at risk of a sinus infection if you have an allergy or have recently been in the vicinity of an irritant.

Sinusitis – treatment

Sinusitis is usually self-limiting and can be treated at home. Most often it is caused by viruses, so antibiotics are not needed. Home treatment for sinus infections includes rest, drinking plenty of fluids, inhaling, applying a nose or forehead compress to relieve pressure, rinsing your nose with saline, and taking antipyretic medications to relieve a stuffy nose.

Home treatment is similar for mild COVID-19 infection. We mainly rest, hydrate and use symptomatic medications.

Chronic sinusitis

Acute sinusitis can progress to chronic sinusitis. Sinusitis is considered chronic when symptoms persist for at least 12 weeks. Acute sinusitis is usually caused by the common cold and goes away most often with it, but chronic sinusitis can have many other causes.

1. Sinusitis – Causes, Symptoms, Treatment. Complications of sinusitis

Symptoms of chronic sinusitis:

1. problems with smell or taste
2. yellow or green nasal discharge
3. dry mucus blocking the nasal passages
4. mucus running down the back of the throat
5. tenderness around the eyes, forehead and cheeks
6. headaches caused by pressure and swelling of the sinuses
7. earaches
8. sore throat
9. soreness in the jaw and teeth
10. nausea
11. cough that gets worse at night
12. bad breath
13. fatigue

Causes of chronic sinusitis:

1. allergies, especially to pollen or chemicals, hay fever
2. polyps in the nose
3. curve septum
4. Upper respiratory tract infections, caused by viruses or bacteria
5. asthma
6. gastroesophageal reflux
7. cystic fibrosis,

Also read:

1. Experts: Put your Christmas plans aside. There are also advice, including the most important one
2. Dzieiątkowski: the government is bending to the dictates of an extremist group
3. We are following Sweden’s path without restrictions and lockdown. Virologist: The Swedes admitted that this strategy was a mistake
4. Vaccinated or healed who has better resistance to COVID-19?

The content of the medTvoiLokony website is intended to improve, not replace, the contact between the Website User and their doctor. The website is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Before following the specialist knowledge, in particular medical advice, contained on our Website, you must consult a doctor. The Administrator does not bear any consequences resulting from the use of information contained on the Website. Do you need a medical consultation or an e-prescription? Go to halodoctor.pl, where you will get online help – quickly, safely and without leaving your home.