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Is It a Cold, the Flu, or a Sinus Infection? How to Tell and When to Seek Help
As the holiday season approaches in Dallas and the temperatures drop, the festive spirit begins to fill the air. But with the cooler weather comes an uptick in cold-weather sniffles. This signals the return of cold, flu, and sinus infections, as these seasonal ailments start to make their rounds in full force.
Cold, flu, and sinus infections share many similar symptoms, which can make it easy to confuse one for the other—especially without the right knowledge. However, understanding the differences between these three is key to effectively addressing your winter sniffles. By knowing which condition you're dealing with, you can take the right steps to recover and enjoy a healthier, symptom-free holiday season.
What is the Common Cold?
About 200 viruses can cause someone to contract the common cold, making it a very common respiratory condition. It’s a contagious infection, especially during the first few days. Cold symptoms typically last for about a week and most patients fully recover within 7 to 10 days.
Common cold symptoms include:
- Congestion or stuffy nose
- Runny nose
- Sneezing
- Coughing
- Sore throat
- Watery eyes
- Headache
- Fatigue
Children are more likely to develop a fever when they catch the common cold, though adults can also experience a mild fever.
Patients will best recover from the common cold virus with plenty of fluids, sleep, and rest. However, some may find that over-the-counter medications can help alleviate symptoms like nasal congestion, headache, and fatigue.
Patients should start feeling better after about a week since the cold first developed. If not, consider visiting your physician for a consultation.
What is the Flu or Influenza?
The flu, or influenza, shares many similar symptoms with the common cold but flu symptoms are more severe and serious than those of the latter.
The flu is a contagious infection caused by a virus that affects the respiratory system. If left untreated, it can lead to serious complications and can even cause death, especially for children, pregnant women, and the elderly, who are all considered vulnerable.
Flu symptoms usually last for 1 to 2 weeks. While common cold symptoms will come gradually, flu symptoms hit fast and with even more intensity.
Common flu symptoms include:
- High fever that lasts for several days
- Body chills
- Body aches
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Cough
- Stuffy nose or congestion
- Runny nose
It is in the best interest of flu patients to immediately see their physician if they think they’ve caught the virus. With medical intervention and the right medication, the symptoms’ severity and duration can be reduced.
What are Sinus Infections?
Sinus infection, or sinusitis, is a very common respiratory condition, affecting millions of Americans. It’s a condition where there is inflammation and infection in the sinus and nasal cavities. The inflammation prevents the nasal cavities from properly draining mucus. This causes mucus buildup and becomes the perfect environment for viruses and bacteria to thrive and cause an infection.
A sinus infection can develop on its own but in some cases, it can often develop from a common cold or an allergic reaction.
Common sinus infection symptoms include:
- Congestion or stuffy nose
- Postnasal drip
- Thick green or yellow nasal discharge
- Facial pain and pressure
- Headache
- Pain in the ears
- Toothache
- Fatigue
- Cough
- Fever
- A loss of sense of taste or smell
- Bad breath
A sinus infection can either be acute or chronic. Acute sinusitis is short-term and will typically go away on its own within 10 days. Chronic sinusitis is a long-term infection and persists for longer than 12 weeks.
Decongestants, pain relievers, and antibiotics can help provide symptom relief. Depending on the severity and duration of the symptoms, your physician might recommend surgical procedures like balloon sinuplasty.
A sinus infection can easily be mistaken for the common cold, especially if you haven’t been diagnosed with the former yet – which is why a consultation with your ENT doctor is crucial.
Need Help? Get in Touch With Dallas Breathe Free
At Dallas Breathe Free, we pride ourselves in providing our patients relief from cold, flu, and sinusitis symptoms. We want you to live your life to the fullest and be able to breathe freely again so schedule an appointment with our team of experts today and find out what we can do to help!