Your nose is blocked, your head hurts and you have a terrible cough- it’s natural for you to assume that you’re suffering from the common cold. Common colds are caused by airborne viruses and particles that can enter your system and cause symptoms such as these:
- Fatigue
- Frequent headaches
- Coughs (if you have a tonsil condition as well)
- Runny nose
The thing about these types of colds is that they go away within a week- they either heal themselves or can be treated by countertop medicines.
So what’s worrying about common colds? Nothing as such, but you need to keep a close eye on your symptoms to determine that your common cold is not a sinus infection.
What is a sinus infection?
In sinus infections, your sinuses get filled with fluids, which may then attract bacteria and cause infections. The tricky part about this is that most sinus infections show symptoms that are common to colds as well, which is why people ignore it, thus allowing it to aggravate.
If you suspect a sinus infection and want to be sure about it, here are some of the symptoms that you should look out for:
- Thick discharge from your nose that smells bad
- A feeling of pressure and pain around your eyes
- Headaches and colds that don’t go away in a week
- High fever
- Congestion in your chest
If you face any of these symptoms, make sure to visit a centre for ear, nose, throat treatment in Gurgaon like Umkal Hospital.
What causes a sinus infection?
There can be plenty of reasons why you may have contracted a sinus infection. It may be the result of an aggravated common cold, or it can be the result of an allergic reaction.
Non-allergic rhinitis can also be a reason behind a sinus infection. This is a condition that shows symptoms like an allergy but has no particular cause behind it.
Nasal polyps are small growths on the inner lining of the nasal passage. They can also be the reason behind a sinus infection.
How to tell the difference between a sinus infection and common cold?
Some forms of common colds show the same symptoms as a sinus infection, which is why it is difficult to tell the difference between the two. However, if your cold does not go away in a week, or lasts for more than ten days, then there are chances that it is a sinus infection. You should also consult your doctor if you have a fever that does not seem to get cured.
What to do in case of a sinus infection?
The first thing that you should do in case you have a sinus infection is to consult an ENT specialist. This is because sinus infections are usually not cured by countertop medication, so self-medicating won’t work in this case.
Your doctor may prescribe you to antibiotics, antihistamines, and decongestants to get rid of most of the mucus in your sinuses and chest.
You can also take hot showers to loosen the mucus in your chest. This will help to get rid of it easily.
It is extremely rare, but if you have a sinus infection that does not go away with antibiotics, then you may need to get surgery to clean your sinus passages.
Conclusion
If you have a bad cold that does not go away, it may be a sinus infection. So don’t delay, just fix a check-up at Umkal Hospital, the best hospital for ear, nose, throat treatment in Gurgaon. Here, the dedicated doctors and staff members will get your problem fixed in no time.