Could your cold really be a sinus infection?  How to know

A stuffy, runny nose, nagging cough, and a scratchy throat are annoying but are also common, harmless symptoms of a cold, right?   Maybe, but then again, it could be possible that winter bug you think you’re fighting off is really a sinus infection.  It’s true that the signs and symptoms of each often overlap making it difficult to tell the difference but there are clues that can help you distinguish one from the other.

The common cold

The common cold can be caused by more than 200 viruses. Up to 40% of colds are causes by a family of viruses called rhinoviruses.  Viruses responsible for causing colds settle in the upper respiratory system affecting the nose, mouth, throat, and lungs.  Each year, adults typically get between two to four colds.  The following symptoms are associated with a cold:

·      Runny nose

·      Stuffy nose

·      Sneezing

·      Cough

·      Sore throat

·      Chest congestion

·      Watery eyes

Sinusitis

It is possible for a person to start off with a cold that can progress to sinusitis or a sinus infection.  In that scenario, the sinus infection would be caused by a virus.  But bacteria and even allergies can be responsible for causing sinus infections.

The sinuses are a group of air-filled connected spaces in the skull.  Located between your eyes and behind your nose, cheeks, and forehead, their job is to produce mucous to catch germs and other pollutants.  Tiny hairlike structures called cilia on the sinus walls get rid of mucous from the sinuses sweeping it into the nose. 

Sometimes viruses from a cold can infect the sinuses causing inflammation in the sinus membranes which is called viral sinusitis.  An infection in the sinuses can also occur when the sinuses become infected from bacteria which are known as bacterial sinusitis.  Sinus infections caused by bacteria will need to be treated with an antibiotic.

Symptoms associated with a sinus infection include:

·      Pressure and pain in the face

·      Nasal congestion

·      Thick, discolored discharge (yellow or green)

·      Diminished sense of smell

·      Fever

·      Headache

·      Pain in the teeth of the upper jaw

·      Fatigue

How to tell the difference

Since colds and sinus infections share similar symptoms, diagnosing which it is can be tricky.   One way to know the difference is by knowing how long you’ve had the symptoms.  Cold symptoms typically peak after three to five days and then improve over the next week.  However, a sinus infection will last longer.  If symptoms of persistent facial pain or pressure or a stuffy or runny nose lasting for more than 10 days, it most likely is an infection.

Another distinguishing characteristic between a cold and a sinus infection is the color of nasal discharge.  If the mucous is clear, it is likely a cold.  But if the mucous is green or yellow, it is probably a sinus infection. 

Treating colds and sinus infections

To treat the common cold the basic recommendation is to do what helps a person feel better. Home remedies of salt water rinses can improve nasal symptoms while drinking plenty of fluids and eating a healthy diet can keep up energy levels.  The vast majority of colds will get better on their own without any intervention of having to go see a doctor. 

Sinus infections can also get better on their own but a bacterial infection may need an antibiotic to make it go away quicker.  The main advice for sinus infections is to get plenty of rest, stay hydrated and rinse out your sinuses with saline irrigation to help thin mucous and flush it form the nasal cavity.