Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSinus Infection SymptomsCold SymptomsDifferencesTreatmentWhen to See a Healthcare Provider

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Sinus Infection Symptoms

Cold Symptoms

Differences

Treatment

When to See a Healthcare Provider

In most cases, when you have a runny nose,headache, and persistent cough, you have a common cold. Most colds go away within one week. Sinus infections, also known as sinusitis, share many symptoms with the common cold, but they tend to be more severe, often lasting 10 days or more.

This article covers the key similarities and differences between the common cold and sinus infections, as well as what care looks like for these respiratory diseases.

Verywell / Theresa Chiechi

Key Differences Between a Sinus Infection and a Cold - Illustration by Theresa Chiechi

Symptoms of sinus infections include:

When your immune system is already fighting off a disease (such as a cold), it’s easier for other pathogens to infect you. Bacterial and fungal sinus infections often arise this way.These secondary infections can be more difficult for the body’s immune system to fight off.

Chronic Sinus InfectionCases of sinus infection that last longer than 12 weeks are considered chronic. These cases may require additional treatment or surgery.

Chronic Sinus Infection

Cases of sinus infection that last longer than 12 weeks are considered chronic. These cases may require additional treatment or surgery.

Treating a Sinus Infection With Ear Pain

Over 200 viruses are known to cause the common cold, among which rhinovirus is the most common. Certain coronaviruses and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are also common.

Symptoms of the common cold arise within one to two days of infection. Cold symptoms usually resolve within seven to 10 days. Most people feel improvement after a couple of days.

Typical signs of the common cold include:

If the symptoms last longer than 10 days, it’s likely your cold has either progressed to a complication such as a sinus infection, or another illness is causing your symptoms.

Fevers and ColdsMild fever is common in children or infants with a cold, but it’s not a typical common cold feature in adults. In infants younger than three months, a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher should be treated as a medical emergency.

Fevers and Colds

Mild fever is common in children or infants with a cold, but it’s not a typical common cold feature in adults. In infants younger than three months, a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher should be treated as a medical emergency.

What is the Difference Between Colds and Sinus Infections?

Distinguishing between the common cold and sinus infections can be challenging, even for healthcare providers. The two conditions share many characteristics, and in some cases, sinus infections arise as a complication of colds.

Nonetheless, there are several key differences:

Sinus Infections: Are They Contagious?

Treating Your Symptoms

Taking antibiotics unnecessarily makes it harder for your body to fight off bacterial infections in the future. If you have a cold that doesn’t get better within ten days, see your healthcare provider for a diagnosis. Your provider will determine if antibiotics are necessary.

Sinus Infection

In a majority of cases, sinus infections resolve as your body’s immune system attacks and destroys the infecting pathogen. Proper diagnosis is essential, as your healthcare provider will need to know whether you have viral or bacterial sinusitis. Antibiotics will not work for viral cases, but they may be prescribed in bacterial cases.

Often the focus of treatment involves managing the severity of symptoms as natural immunity takes over. For milder cases and those within the first 10 days of symptoms, over-the-counter medications and at-home treatments may include:

If symptoms persist or worsen after 10 days, doctors may prescribe:

Chronic sinus infection requires additional treatment focused on managing the severity of symptoms. Leukotriene antagonist drugs, which treat inflammation-related breathing difficulties, may be prescribed. Surgery may be considered in cases of adeviated septum.

10 Best Home Remedies for Sinus Infections

Cold

Most people don’t require special treatment for the common cold, and there’s no vaccine or outright cure. As with sinus infections, symptom management as your body develops immunity and fights off the infection is central to care. If you’re sick, the following is recommended:

Additionally, some medications can help, many of which are also used for sinus infections:

What About Decongestants?Prolonged use of OTC decongestant nasal sprays may increase sinus inflammation and make your condition worse. They are not recommended for adults or children with acute sinusitis or the common cold, or for people with heart disease, high blood pressure, angina (heart pain), or diabetes.

What About Decongestants?

Prolonged use of OTC decongestant nasal sprays may increase sinus inflammation and make your condition worse. They are not recommended for adults or children with acute sinusitis or the common cold, or for people with heart disease, high blood pressure, angina (heart pain), or diabetes.

While most colds—and even sinus infections—clear up on their own, it’s important to know when you need medical help. If you’re having symptoms, here’s when you should call a healthcare provider:

Knowing that your symptoms are more than a cold, and could be those of sinus infection, can be critical for managing the condition. It’s also important for your healthcare provider to ascertain whether you’re experiencing a viral or bacterial infection as that can influence treatment.

To make a diagnosis, your healthcare provider may perform the following:

Summary

Distinguishing between the common cold and sinus infections can be challenging for patientsandhealthcare providers. Colds are more common than sinus infections and symptoms tend to improve quicker. Sinusitis has a tendency to linger and cause sinus pressure, and facial pain. Sinus infections can also cause loss of sense of taste or smell, higher fever, fatigue, and aches in the body.

Frequently Asked Questions

Some viral sinus infections, as when the condition is a complication of a common cold, can be contagious. However, bacterial sinusitis can’t be transmitted from person to person.Learn MoreWhat Is a Sinus Infection?

Some viral sinus infections, as when the condition is a complication of a common cold, can be contagious. However, bacterial sinusitis can’t be transmitted from person to person.

Learn MoreWhat Is a Sinus Infection?

Sinusitis generally lasts longer than a cold; while cases can resolve within 10 days, symptoms can last up to a month. If symptoms don’t go away after three months, you’re considered to have a chronic sinus infection.Learn MoreSymptoms of a Sinus Infection

Sinusitis generally lasts longer than a cold; while cases can resolve within 10 days, symptoms can last up to a month. If symptoms don’t go away after three months, you’re considered to have a chronic sinus infection.

Learn MoreSymptoms of a Sinus Infection

Loss of your sense of taste and smell sometimes accompanies a sinus infection. In most cases, they come back on their own, and treating the underlying cause of the sinusitis will usually bring them back. If this persists,smell trainingtherapy can help, though sometimes (rarely) this loss is permanent.

10 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Harvard Health Publishing Harvard Medical School.Is that winter sniffle a cold or a sinus infection?.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Suffering from a sinus infection?.Cleveland Clinic.Sinus infection (sinusitis): types, causes, symptoms & treatment.American Lung Association.Facts about the common cold.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Common colds.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Common colds: Protect yourself and others.Children’s Wisconsin.Is it a cold or sinus infection?Rosenfeld R, Piccirillo J, Corrigan M, et al.Clinical Practice Guideline (update): Adult sinusitis.OHNS. 2015;152(2):1-39. doi:10.1177/0194599815572097Harvard Health Publishing.Could a cold remedy make you sicker?.Rosenfeld RM, Piccirillo JF, Chandrasekhar SS, et al.Clinical practice guideline (update): adult sinusitis.Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2015;152(2 Suppl):S1-S39. doi:10.1177/0194599815572097

10 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Harvard Health Publishing Harvard Medical School.Is that winter sniffle a cold or a sinus infection?.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Suffering from a sinus infection?.Cleveland Clinic.Sinus infection (sinusitis): types, causes, symptoms & treatment.American Lung Association.Facts about the common cold.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Common colds.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Common colds: Protect yourself and others.Children’s Wisconsin.Is it a cold or sinus infection?Rosenfeld R, Piccirillo J, Corrigan M, et al.Clinical Practice Guideline (update): Adult sinusitis.OHNS. 2015;152(2):1-39. doi:10.1177/0194599815572097Harvard Health Publishing.Could a cold remedy make you sicker?.Rosenfeld RM, Piccirillo JF, Chandrasekhar SS, et al.Clinical practice guideline (update): adult sinusitis.Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2015;152(2 Suppl):S1-S39. doi:10.1177/0194599815572097

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Harvard Health Publishing Harvard Medical School.Is that winter sniffle a cold or a sinus infection?.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Suffering from a sinus infection?.Cleveland Clinic.Sinus infection (sinusitis): types, causes, symptoms & treatment.American Lung Association.Facts about the common cold.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Common colds.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Common colds: Protect yourself and others.Children’s Wisconsin.Is it a cold or sinus infection?Rosenfeld R, Piccirillo J, Corrigan M, et al.Clinical Practice Guideline (update): Adult sinusitis.OHNS. 2015;152(2):1-39. doi:10.1177/0194599815572097Harvard Health Publishing.Could a cold remedy make you sicker?.Rosenfeld RM, Piccirillo JF, Chandrasekhar SS, et al.Clinical practice guideline (update): adult sinusitis.Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2015;152(2 Suppl):S1-S39. doi:10.1177/0194599815572097

Harvard Health Publishing Harvard Medical School.Is that winter sniffle a cold or a sinus infection?.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Suffering from a sinus infection?.

Cleveland Clinic.Sinus infection (sinusitis): types, causes, symptoms & treatment.

American Lung Association.Facts about the common cold.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Common colds.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Common colds: Protect yourself and others.

Children’s Wisconsin.Is it a cold or sinus infection?

Rosenfeld R, Piccirillo J, Corrigan M, et al.Clinical Practice Guideline (update): Adult sinusitis.OHNS. 2015;152(2):1-39. doi:10.1177/0194599815572097

Harvard Health Publishing.Could a cold remedy make you sicker?.

Rosenfeld RM, Piccirillo JF, Chandrasekhar SS, et al.Clinical practice guideline (update): adult sinusitis.Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2015;152(2 Suppl):S1-S39. doi:10.1177/0194599815572097

Meet Our Medical Expert Board

Share Feedback

Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit

What is your feedback?

By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.Cookies SettingsAccept All Cookies

By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.

Cookies SettingsAccept All Cookies