Cleveland Clinic. Click for More Info about Dr. Rogers and how we can help out! Mild, coldlike symptoms such as sore throats, sneezing,. Also, the more stressed you are, the more likely you may experience more severe symptoms or a longer duration of illness. Three that have gained attention are nausea, night sweats and lower back pain. People have reported symptoms that vary, but are similar to signs of a common cold or flu. They can run tests to determine whether or not you have COVID, a sinus infection, or another condition. Although you can get sinusitis year around, it tends . Loss of taste or smell was even less common, as the chart below shows. What Should You Do If You Feel Sick but Keep Testing Negative for COVID? Use a saline mist spray to hydrate nasal passages. 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 . Heres a quick breakdown: While most coldsand even sinus infectionsclear up on their own, its important to know when you need medical help. Taking the time to properly rest and recover will help ensure your illness doesn't progress into something worse. A bacterial sinus infection will last seven to 10 days or longer and may get worse after a week. Loss of your sense of taste and smell sometimes accompanies a sinus infection. Omicron makes up 95% of sequenced Covid cases in U.S. as infections hit Like the science and discovery news you find here? "Their symptoms are resolved. Symptoms of COVID-19. The rise of the Omicron variant has only made the situation more complex. Cleveland Clinic 1995-2023. Your immune system responds by releasing a chemical called histamine, which can then cause symptoms such as headache, sneezing, and congestion. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. You cannot tell if you have COVID or a sinus infection just based on your symptoms alone, especially because so many overlap. Chris Vincent, MD, is a licensed physician, surgeon, and board-certified doctor of family medicine. Most sinus infections are caused by viral infections, such as those that cause the common cold, including the rhinovirus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). COVID-19 vs. Flu vs. RSV: How to tell the difference between - Labcorp How do you know you are infected with Omicron? - Medical News Today You might be able to get an over-the-counter test at your local pharmacy or have a test performed at a local health clinic or pharmacy that is sent off to a lab. Can you do anything to get your taste back after a sinus infection? Allergies occur as a result of your immune systems reaction to certain allergens, such as pollen, dust, or pet dander. "Therefore, people who are chronically ill, immunocompromised, or older adults are at greater risk of getting infected. The exception is if youve never been diagnosed with allergies before or if your allergies seem to be getting worse. They canoccurwith viral infections, too. They are highly contagious, with younger children, seniors, those with respiratory conditions, and those with compromised immunity more prone. Treating your allergy symptoms early on can also help prevent your allergies from getting out of control. To help you figure it out, lets take a closer look at sinusitis. In most cases, they come back on their own, and treating the underlying cause of the sinusitis will usually bring them back. Culture techniques or even PCR technology may be used to identify specific pathogens.