sinus infection vs omicron

COVID-19 and Sinus Infection | Cooper University Health Care Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If you have COVID-19, you may also experience nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, body aches, and loss of taste or smell. Nasal congestion and swelling, facial pressure, pain, fever, too much mucus. Its also important for doctors to ascertain whether youre experiencing a viral or bacterial infection as that can influence treatment. For example, the virus that causes the common cold attacks the lining of your sinuses and causes them to swell up. Colds are more common than sinus infections and symptoms tend to improve quicker. For instance, common allergy symptoms not associated with COVID-19 include itching and watery eyes. Rest, relaxation, and fluids are great home remedies. The information in this article is current as of the date listed, which means newer information may be available when you read this. A viral sinus infection will usually begin to improve after five to seven days. Depsite COVID Omicron being milder, January 2022 was one of the deadliest months our country has ever seen. Instead, your doctor lookslargelyat symptom duration to determine the source of your infection. "Their symptoms are resolved. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A runny nose and sneezing, congestion, and sore throat are a few symptoms that can pop up if you have . Why Hospitals are Overcrowded with Omicron Patients, "While the variant is considered less severe, more people have it than ever before and people are not isolated like in the early phases of the pandemic," says Walker. Is It Winter Allergies or COVID-19? - Verywell Health For example, shortness of breath and difficulty breathing are more likely with COVID-19, while facial pain is more specific to a sinus infection. Sinuses are the hollow spaces in the bones of your face that are usually filled with air. If they're reporting it, they're saying that their throat feels raw.". Vaccines help reduce the severity of disease, but Omicron may be a less virulent virus on its own. Both allergies and sinus infections can feel miserable. UNC researchers are spreading the word about these disparities and starting a conversation about how to change them. Visit the link below to find UNC Health Care providers. Walker says, "Omicron symptoms tend to be more concentrated on the upper respiratory tract. 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. "Those individuals that are boosted, within five days, seven days of their onset of symptoms, their energy level comes back," he said. Learn about treatments to help release the pressure and clear up a toothache. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Wash your hands frequently and avoid touching your nose, mouth or eyes. But the omicron variant tends to share many of the same symptoms as the common cold. What Every Woman Needs to Know, 6 Sore Throat Remedies That Actually Work. Harvard Health Publishing Harvard Medical School. A sinus infection occurs when the fluid builds up in the air-filled pockets in the face (sinuses) and encourages the growth of germs. Get health and wellness tips and information from UNC Health experts once a month! In most cases, they come back on their own, and treating the underlying cause of the sinusitis will usually bring them back. Be on . } Also, ask your doctor about supplements such as vitamin C to help boost your immune system. Sinus infections can also cause loss of sense of taste or smell, higher fever, fatigue, and aches in the body. American Academy of Family Physicians. Its also possible to have both conditions at the same time. 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 slightly differently but also likely carries a lower chance of getting seriously ill. Scientists at Case Western Reserve University have preliminary evidence that the risk of being admitted to the hospital or the intensive care unit during the omicron surge in the U.S. is about half of the risk observed during the delta surge. Discover risk factors such as sinus infections. Cases of sinus infection that last longer than 12 weeks are considered chronic. Ohio State Wexner Medical Center. At the same time, it appears anecdotally at least that certain symptoms show up more with omicron than they did with delta. ), "The risk is not zero," says Xu's colleague Davis, speaking of omicron. Youll need to take the full prescription, even if you start feeling better within a day or two. Sinusitis is usually caused by a virus, but bacterial infections also can cause it. "It's mostly that runny nose, sore throat and nasal congestion," says Dr. John Vanchiere, the associate director of the Center for Emerging Viral Threats at LSU Health Shreveport. Some viral sinus infections, as when the condition is a complication of a common cold, can be contagious. Emily is a health communication consultant, writer, and editor at EVR Creative, specializing in public health research and health promotion. Like the science and discovery news you find here? 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 persist or worsen after 10 days, doctors may prescribe: Chronic sinus infection requires additional treatment focused on managing the severity of symptoms. The symptoms of sinus infection tend to come on . There was a strong tendency toward SEVERE SORE THROAT and even GI upset moreso. And just like earlier variants, omicron can't be defined as causing only a narrow group of symptoms. COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by a new virus that causes respiratory illness (like the flu) with symptoms such as a cough, fever, and, in more severe cases, difficulty breathing. Adults have sinuses behind their cheeks, nose, and forehead. (By contrast, with the original version of the virus, the rate was 1 in 10. For example, if you have a sinus infection that is caused by allergies, your doctor may prescribe an allergy medicine. Also ask your doctor about recommendations for other medications you can take as preventive measures. What Are the Symptoms of Omicron? - New York Times And a small study from Norway found that, among . Getting a flu shot will help protect you from the flu virus, which can cause inflammation in your sinuses and lead to a sinus infection. Typically, a sinus infection clears up within 2 to 3 weeks. Using a humidifier in your bedroom might help. The omicron subvariant of COVID-19, BA.5, became one of the dominant strains of the virus in the fall of 2022 in the U.S. At that time, it was the most easily spread strain to date and is able to evade immunity from COVID infection and vaccination. "They're not short of breath, and really the lungs are OK," says Roberts, of Yale. Along with falling temperatures and shorter days, sinus infections are a common part of winter. Get the best food tips and diet advice Both conditions can cause nasal inflammation, along with related symptoms, such as congestion and stuffy nose. Many of the patients who are being hospitalized often have some underlying health condition, or they're older and more vulnerable to a viral infection. For example, make sure you wash your hands often and try not to touch your face, nose, or eyes during cold/flu season. Most people were sick 6-9 days. Your Face Mask Can Help, How To Protect Yourself From New COVID-19 Variants. Sinusitis is usually caused by a virus, but bacterial infections also can cause it. Treat early sinus infection symptoms with rest, hydration and over-the-counter sprays and decongestants. "Therefore, people who are chronically ill, immunocompromised, or older adults are at greater risk of getting infected. How to know if those are Omicron COVID symptoms, or just a common cold With a scientific background and a passion for creative writing, her work illustrates the value of evidence-based information and creativity in advancing public health. Many people liken it to a bad cold or sinus infection. Some of the most common symptoms include a sinus headache, runny nose, nasal congestion, sore throat, fatigue, and sneezing. That consistency, Xu says, suggests the reduction in severity is due, in part, to something inherent with omicron itself and not simply because of changes in vaccination status. 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. Your provider may prescribe antibiotics if your symptoms last longer than 10 to 14 days. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. COVID-19 is an infection caused by the novel SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. And doctors are finding many of these cases tend to look like an ordinary upper respiratory infection. Sore throats were often coupled with sinus congestion and headache, he added, followed by a cough a day or so later. Read onand to ensure your health and the health of others, don't miss these Sure Signs You've Already Had COVID. A lost of smell or taste is a pretty clear indication its COVID-19, for instance. Infections like RSV and the flu. If your allergies have you particularly congested, they might also prescribe a decongestant. I do encourage you to get the vaccine and the booster. Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images The following chart shows how Omicron symptoms compare to those of its predecessors, based on data collected by the Zoe app. Omicron or Respiratory Infection Symptoms? | Eyewitness News - PAhomepage Don't Ignore Nose Dripping, Don't Ignore Sinus - TheHealthSite Ohio State's Comprehensive Cancer Center James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute, Find our most recent COVID-19 articles here, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, What its like to get an X-ray, and how to prepare, Cardiologist changing the way we care for womens cardiovascular health, Five signs of heart disease that show up in the bedroom. A bacterial sinus infection will often persist for seven to 10 days or longer, and may actually worsen after seven days. Use a saline mist spray to hydrate nasal passages. A commuter masks up for a bus ride in Liverpool, England. 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. Now amidst the Omicron-wave of infections hitting vaccinated and unvaccinated alike, it is clear in our practice we are seeing a lot of exacerbations of sinus infections. 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 . "Many people are still going to be admitted to the ICU, and some people are still going to need to have mechanical ventilation.". Some patients of course are much more ill, with about 5 to 10% needing hospital care, and for those patients sinus infection or ear symptoms may go untreated for longer. Underlying allergy inflammation can lead to sinus infections.

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