Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentPreventionFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prevention
Frequently Asked Questions
The overlap in symptoms betweenCOVID-19andsinus infections(sinusitis) makes it difficult to tell the two apart. Congestion, headache, fever, sore throat, and cough are some examples of symptoms that the two share.
Despite their overlap, there are some notable differences between sinus infections and COVID-19 as well. Aside from what causes them, this includes another battery of more unique symptoms. A loss ofsmellor taste is a pretty clear indication its COVID-19, for instance.
This article explains how to tell the difference between a sinus infection and COVID-19. It also details treatment options for both, why a proper diagnosis is important, and when to see your healthcare provider.
Symptoms of Sinus Infection vs. COVID-19
During the pandemic, the general public has become more aware of COVID-19 symptoms. While you may experience a fever, headache, and cough if you have COVID, you can also have these and other respiratory symptoms if you have another infection or condition.
Some symptoms are more common in one condition than the other. For example, shortness of breath and difficulty breathing are more likely with COVID-19, while facial pain is more specific to a sinus infection.
The list of symptoms below is just a starting point and does not include all possible symptoms of COVID-19 or a sinus infection. If you develop any respiratory symptoms that do not seem to improve, it’s important to see a healthcare provider.
Additionally, if you have any symptoms which are in any way associated with COVID-19, you should follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines regarding isolation and prevention.
Sinus Infection Symptoms
A sinus infection (sinusitis) occurs when the lining of your sinuses becomes inflamed. This leads to mucus buildup. Two main symptoms of sinus infections include congestion and pain or pressure in your face, nose, or ears.
A sinus infection can have a range of other symptoms as well, though they mostly involve the respiratory system.
Possible signs and symptoms of a sinus infection include:
Symptoms of a Sinus Infection
COVID-19 Symptoms
The signs and symptoms of COVID-19 often involve the respiratory system, but they can also occur in other parts of the body.
While there is a range of COVID-19 symptoms, some of the most common include:
You should test yourself to know for sure if the symptoms you’re experiencing are due to COVID-19.
Symptoms of COVID-19
Sinus Infection
The cause of a sinus infection is inflammation of the sinuses. Sinus infections most often occur after a cold or an allergy flare-up or in relation to a nasal condition.
For example, the virus that causes the common cold attacks the lining of your sinuses and causes them to swell up. As more mucus is produced, buildup occurs and provides a place for bacteria to grow, which leads to infection.
What Is a Sinus Infection?
COVID-19
If you have respiratory symptoms, your doctor can use several tests to find out what is causing them—for example, if you have a sinus infection, COVID-19, or another condition.
Sinus Infection Diagnosis
A sinus infection is diagnosed based on your symptoms and an examination of your nose and face. Your doctor might check your mucus or do an imaging test to confirm the diagnosis.
How a Sinus Infection Is Diagnosed
COVID-19 Diagnosis
If you’re experiencing symptoms or believe you may have been exposed to COVID-19, you should take a COVID-19 test to know if it is indeed COVID-19. If you have symptoms, but the results of your home antigen test are negative, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends you test again in 48 hours.
How Coronavirus (COVID-19) Is Diagnosed
The treatments for a sinus infection and COVID-19 are very different. An accurate diagnosis from a healthcare professional is required to ensure that you get the appropriate treatment.
Sinus Infection Treatment
There are several ways to treat a sinus infection. The appropriate treatment for you will depend on what is causing the infection.
Some common sinus infection treatments include:
How Sinus Infection Is Treated
Antibiotics
According to the CDC, antibiotics are usually not needed for viral sinus infections.
Your doctor might take a “watchful waiting” approach to see if your immune system can fight the infection. They might also choose “delayed prescribing,” where they prescribe an antibiotic for you but suggest that you wait a few days before taking it to see if the infection clears up on its own.
Healthcare providers try not toprescribe antibioticsunless they are definitely necessary because the over-prescription of antibiotics contributes to the rise of bacteria that is resistant to these drugs.
Antibiotics for Sinus Infection
COVID-19 Treatment
Treatments include a combinations of medications that are approved to treat COVID-19 and new drugs that have emergency-use authorizations to use for COVID-19, and ones that COVID-19 is an off-label use.
The FDA has approved three drugs to treat COVID-19:
The FDA has granted emergency-use authorizations to a handful of medications that have not yet completed the formal FDA-approval process. These include:
The best way to treat COVID-19 depends on how sick a person is. For example, if someone has a mild case, they can generally treat their symptoms at home. People with severe COVID-19 illness usually need to be in the hospital, and some end up needing to be in the intensive care unit (ICU).
Another factor in appropriate treatment is a person’s risk factors for severe disease. If they have mild to moderate illness and can stay home, but they have certain medical comorbidities, an antiviral treatment may be offered.
COVID-19 Treatments: What You Need to Know
Ways that you can deal with a mild COVID-19 infection at home include:
If you are hospitalized with COVID-19, you might be given:
There are certain things you can do to prevent sinus infections and protect yourself from the COVID-19 virus. Some steps that you can take will help reduce your risk of either condition, but each also has specific precautions that will help lower your risk.
Preventing Sinus Infection
A sinus infection often follows a viral infection, such as a cold orthe flu. Therefore, preventing a sinus infection often means trying to avoid the illnesses that usually precede it.
For example, make sure you wash your hands often and try not to touch your face, nose, or eyes during cold/flu season. It’s also important to avoid being around people who are sick.
Getting a flu shotwill help protect you from the flu virus, which can cause inflammation in your sinuses and lead to a sinus infection.
If you have allergies, figuring out your triggers and trying to avoid them will help prevent a flare-up of symptoms that could lead to a sinus infection.
Have Spring Allergies? Your Face Mask Can Help
Preventing COVID-19
COVID-19 is a viral infection, which means that many of the same steps that you would take to protect yourself from a cold or the flu (such as washing your hands and avoiding people who are sick) can help lower your risk of getting the virus.
The CDC recommends that if you develop symptoms, you should stay home until your symptoms, including fever, improve for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing drugs. You should then continue to take precautions for the next five days.
There are also other precautions that you should take not just to protect yourself from COVID-19 but to help ensure that you do not spread the virus to other people.
COVID-19 precautions include:
How To Protect Yourself From New COVID-19 Variants
Summary
COVID-19 and sinus infections both involve the respiratory system. The two conditions can have symptoms that overlap, but some symptoms are more likely to occur in one and not the other.
The treatments for each condition are also different, which is why it’s important to see a doctor and get an accurate diagnosis. You might need antibiotics for a sinus infection that does not get better on its own with home remedies or over-the-counter medications.
If you have a mild case of COVID-19, you might be able to rest at home and avoid other people until you recover. However, if you develop severe illness, you may need to receive medical care in the hospital.
A Word From Verywell
You cannot tell if you have COVID-19 or a sinus infection just based on your symptoms alone, especially because so many overlap. The only way to know what you have for sure is to take a COVID-19 test.
Yes. In general, people are contagious for two to three days before COVID-19 symptoms start.Learn MoreCan Asymptomatic People Spread Omnicron?
Yes. In general, people are contagious for two to three days before COVID-19 symptoms start.
Learn MoreCan Asymptomatic People Spread Omnicron?
COVID-19 is most contagious in the 48 hours before symptoms start and the first five days of symptoms. Asymptomatic cases of COVID-19 are considered contagious for five days after a positive test.Learn MoreCOVID-19 Isolation Time
COVID-19 is most contagious in the 48 hours before symptoms start and the first five days of symptoms. Asymptomatic cases of COVID-19 are considered contagious for five days after a positive test.
Learn MoreCOVID-19 Isolation Time
Is it Allergies or COVID-19?
The information in this article is current as of the date listed, which means newer information may be available when you read this. For the most recent updates on COVID-19, visit ourcoronavirus news page.
9 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.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Sinusitis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Symptoms of COVID-19.American Academy of Family Physicians.Sinusitis.Food and Drug Administration.At-home COVID-19 antigen tests-take steps to reduce your risk of false negative results: FDA safety communication.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Sinus infection (sinusitis).Food and Drug Administration.Know your treatment options for COVID-19.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Types of COVID-19 treatment.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing spread of respiratory viruses when you’re sick.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.How to protect yourself & others.
9 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.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Sinusitis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Symptoms of COVID-19.American Academy of Family Physicians.Sinusitis.Food and Drug Administration.At-home COVID-19 antigen tests-take steps to reduce your risk of false negative results: FDA safety communication.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Sinus infection (sinusitis).Food and Drug Administration.Know your treatment options for COVID-19.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Types of COVID-19 treatment.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing spread of respiratory viruses when you’re sick.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.How to protect yourself & others.
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.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Sinusitis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Symptoms of COVID-19.American Academy of Family Physicians.Sinusitis.Food and Drug Administration.At-home COVID-19 antigen tests-take steps to reduce your risk of false negative results: FDA safety communication.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Sinus infection (sinusitis).Food and Drug Administration.Know your treatment options for COVID-19.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Types of COVID-19 treatment.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing spread of respiratory viruses when you’re sick.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.How to protect yourself & others.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Sinusitis.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Symptoms of COVID-19.
American Academy of Family Physicians.Sinusitis.
Food and Drug Administration.At-home COVID-19 antigen tests-take steps to reduce your risk of false negative results: FDA safety communication.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Sinus infection (sinusitis).
Food and Drug Administration.Know your treatment options for COVID-19.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Types of COVID-19 treatment.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing spread of respiratory viruses when you’re sick.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.How to protect yourself & others.
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