– I often hear: «Doctor, I think the sinusitis got me. But it’s strange: my head hurts a lot, even though I haven’t had a cold. I did not have a Qatar and I do not have one. But I lost my sense of smell and taste »- says Dr. Marek Malczewski, MD, an otolaryngologist. Can a sinus infection be confused with COVID-19?
- Any unusual symptom accompanying ENT problems is to be tested for coronavirus. Even back pain, although in theory not related to the airways
- Patients with sinusitis complain of headaches. However, those accompanying COVID-19 are definitely different
- Are people struggling with chronic sinusitis more likely to be infected with the coronavirus? The expert explains
- You can find more such stories on the TvoiLokony home page
Edyta Brzozowska, Medonet: Can we confuse sinusitis with the first signs of coronavirus infection?
Marek Malczewski, MD, PhD, otolaryngologist: Sinusitis generally begins with rhinitis and is accompanied by a loss of smell and taste. Anyone with a runny nose has experienced similar symptoms.
However, something that should raise our concern in the context of COVID-19 is a slightly different set of symptoms: we do not experience rhinitis, i.e. we do not have a runny nose, but our sense of smell and taste are completely lost. In addition, there is a very strong headache. These symptoms could indicate a SARS-CoV-2 infection and therefore COVID-19.
Reportedly, as many as 70 percent of people suffering from coronavirus complain about the symptoms you describe.
And I also meet such patients. They complain: «Doctor, I think the sinusitis has caught me. But it’s strange, because I have a terrible headache, even though I didn’t have a cold, I didn’t have a cold and I don’t have a cold. I just have no sense of smell, I have lost my taste ».
Of course, in these situations, I recommend that you get tested for COVID-19 immediately. Although I must admit that thanks to the media, Poles have already educated themselves in recognizing the first symptoms of the coronavirus from the beginning of the pandemic. Often they only call to see if it is really worth taking a test for it.
- See also: What are the typical and atypical symptoms of coronavirus infection?
Are there other ENT symptoms that should worry us?
COVID-19 is a relatively new phenomenon, still puzzling, and gives rise to a wide variety of ailments. But what we know for sure about this disease is that some of the symptoms are very similar to the flu: with muscle aches, sore throat, high fever.
However, although I have been working in the profession of an ENT specialist for 43 years, especially recent pandemic experiences tell me that even the smallest atypical symptom accompanying ENT problems is an indication for referring a patient for a test. Including back pain, apparently having nothing to do with sinusitis, for example.
Extremely strong, “strange” headaches too?
Headache is a symptom of about a hundred diseases, ranging from high blood pressure, meningitis, intracranial tumors, diseases of the skull bones, to those caused by eye diseases such as glaucoma. Patients with a sinus or ear infection also complain of a headache. The latter are very strong indeed.
However, if we are dealing with a person suffering from COVID-19, the reports of patients show that they are much more intense and the feeling of pain is multiplied to a large extent. There is also a strong pain in the eyeballs.
Should we inform the doctor if such symptoms occur for the first time in our life?
Of course, a detailed medical history is of great importance, every piece of information is important.
I always ask if the patient has had any infections and what kind of infections? How did he feel then? Did his back, bones, eyeballs, muscles, joints hurt? If most of the answers are yes, it is definitely not sinusitis. Then it is absolutely necessary to test for COVID-19.
Is it true that people struggling with chronic sinusitis are more likely to be infected with the coronavirus?
The airways of such patients become dry and generally weaken over time. These favorable conditions for the SARS-CoV-2 virus constitute an “invitation” to enter the host organism through an open door.
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- Prof. Flisiak: if Poles do not get vaccinated, they will die
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