Cold Becomes a Sinus Infection
Cold Becomes
a Sinus Infection
Everything you need to know about
when A Cold Becomes a Sinus Infection
You’re sneezing, coughing, and feeling congested. It does sound and feel like a cold. However, as time passes, you begin to wonder. Is it starting to feel like a sinus infection?
They have some characteristics, but there are ways to distinguish them. Your doctor can provide you with the greatest treatment if you have the correct diagnosis.
What Is a Common Cold?
It’s a disease caused by a variety of viruses, which are microscopic infectious particles.
The signs and symptoms are obvious:
- Nasal congestion
- Runny nose
- Post-nasal drip (drop-by-drop release of fluid from your nose into the back of the throat)
- Headache
- Fatigue
A cough and a moderate temperature are also possible side effects. Symptoms normally build-up, climax, and then fade away. Some drugs can help you feel better. Decongestants, for example, may reduce nasal discharge and open the passageways. Fever and headaches may benefit from pain medications. Cough medication may also be beneficial.
Colds can linger anywhere from a few days to a week or more.
A cold can induce swelling in the sinuses, which are empty regions in your skull that are connected. Mucus flow can be obstructed by oedema.
A sinus infection can result from this. Consult your doctor if you have pain around your eyes and face, as well as thick yellow or green mucus, for more than a week.
What Is a Sinus Infection?
A sinus inflammation or swelling. They’re normally filled with air. Bacteria can thrive and cause infection when they get clogged and filled with fluid. The outcome was a sinus infection. It’s possible that your doctor will refer to it as sinusitis.
What Are the Symptoms of a Sinus Infection?
They could include the following:
- Your nose is producing a thick, yellow, foul-smelling discharge.
- Pain or pressure around your eyes and face
- Migraine (generally in the forehead area)
- Your nose is blocked.
- Congestion
- Drip post-nasal
- A cold that refuses to go away or worsens
- Cough or fever
A cold might also cause these symptoms. However, if they last more than 10 days, you could have a sinus infection.
What Causes It?
A sinus infection can be caused by any condition that limits your sinuses’ drainage passages, such as:
- Colds
- Hayfever and other allergies
- Non-allergic rhinitis (symptoms that resemble allergies but aren’t caused by allergies)
- Polyps in the nose (small growths in the lining of your nose)
- After a cold, a sinus infection can develop. It might also be caused by a deviated septum, which is a movement in your nasal cavity.
How do you diagnose and treat a sinus infection?
Your doctor will examine you and ask about your medical history. A CT scan of your sinuses may be ordered.
Medication may be prescribed by your doctor. If your symptoms last longer than 10 days, they may prescribe antibiotics. Decongestants, antihistamines, and other medications can help reduce sinus and nasal oedema.
Mucus can be loosened by steam and hot showers. To clear mucus from your nose, your doctor may recommend nasal saline.
When a sinus infection does not clear up on its own, long-term antibiotics or surgery may be required.
When Should I Call the Doctor About a Cold or Sinus Infection?
The majority of colds go away without medical intervention. Consult your doctor if you feel pain around your eyes or face, as well as heavy yellow or green nasal discharge, for more than a week. Also, contact them if you have a fever or severe symptoms that do not improve with over-the-counter medications.