We've consulted with our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians to bring you informed recommendations for food products, health aids and nutritional goods to safely and successfully guide you toward making better diet and nutrition choices. Leukotriene antagonist drugs may be prescribed, and surgery may be considered in cases of a deviated septum. Walker says, "Omicron symptoms tend to be more concentrated on the upper respiratory tract. What to Do If You Get a Positive At-Home COVID-19 Test Result, What to Know About Pneumonia and COVID-19. Frequent handwashing is also a must. Our website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. What are the symptoms of the flu, COVID-19, and RSV? navigator.sendBeacon('https://www.google-analytics.com/collect', payload); All Rights Reserved. American Lung Association. Is that winter sniffle a cold or a sinus infection? The symptoms of the common cold arise within one to two days of infection. Treatments your healthcare provider might recommend if you are sick. By clicking "Subscribe" you agree to our Terms of Use. Read our. ", RELATED: The #1 Cause of Diabetes, Say Experts, Walker explains, "When news suggested that the Omicron variant was less severe than the Delta variant, people became increasingly lax about getting COVID. Learn about tips for relieving symptoms like inflammation, nasal congestion, and irritation. But it has taken longer to untangle what, if anything, sets an omicron illness apart from that of its predecessors. Mild, coldlike symptoms such as sore throats, sneezing,. Suite 200, Atlanta 30342, Hearing Loss & Cognitive Decline Progression. Sinusitis generally lasts longer than a cold; while cases can resolve within 10 days, symptoms can last up to a month. For milder cases and those within the first 10 days, over the counter medications and at-home treatments include: Decongestants are not recommended for adults or children with acute sinusitis and should not be used for more than three to five days in order to prevent rebound congestion. Nasal congestion and swelling, facial pressure, pain, fever, too much mucus. 1. But never had any serious fever beyond 100 and O2 levels were rock solid. Sniffles (Nasal Congestion and Discharge), The Connection Between Nasal Polyps and Sinus Infections, What Causes Fever and Headache Together and How Its Treated. Your immune system responds by releasing a chemical called histamine, which can then cause symptoms such as headache, sneezing, and congestion. We are also seeing a higher number of unvaccinated and unboosted people getting hospitalized. Xu and her colleagues found that the risk of needing to go to the ER dropped from about 15% during the delta surge to 5% during the early omicron surge (about a 70% decrease) and the risk of being hospitalized dropped from 4% to 2% (or by 50%). And follow the public health fundamentals and help end this pandemic, no matter where you liveget vaccinated or boosted ASAP; if you live in an area with low vaccination rates, wear an N95 face mask, don't travel, social distance, avoid large crowds, don't go indoors with people you're not sheltering with (especially in bars), practice good hand hygiene, and to ensure your health don't miss these 101 Health Habits You Didn't Know Were Deadly. Continue taking allergy meds, if you did so previously. OMICRON Original: Had much less loss of smell, but mostly sinus congestion symtpoms. "If we have a patient who's younger, if we have a patient who's vaccinated, if we have a patient who recently recovered from delta, we're tending to see very mild disease with omicron," says Griffin. "The cough is milder [than previous variants], if there's any cough at all, and fever seems to be a little less common.". Use a saline mist spray to hydrate nasal passages. It also details treatment options for both, why a proper diagnosis is important, and when to see your healthcare provider. "Therefore, people who are chronically ill, immunocompromised, or older adults are at greater risk of getting infected. Children's Health, Cold and Flu, Infectious Diseases. Visit the link below to find UNC Health Care providers. Its also possible to feel foggy and develop a skin rash. For people who are at high risk for severe disease, such as older people or those with underlying health issues, the chance of being hospitalized is still quite significant. Its also important for doctors to ascertain whether youre experiencing a viral or bacterial infection as that can influence treatment. Like the science and discovery news you find here? Youre experiencing changes in vision or mental function. You cant, unfortunatelybecause the symptoms are so similar, you should be tested for COVID-19. If you've been exposed to Omicron or think you have the virus, Eat This, Not That! "Therefore, people who are chronically ill, immunocompromised, or older adults are at greater risk of getting infected. Persisting sinus headache affecting the frontal and ethmoid sinus areas (regions between the eyes and up onto the forehead) is the most common symptom following bacterial-negative COVID sinusitis. A viral sinus infection will usually begin to improve after five to seven days. "People that are vaccinated have a middle-of-the-way course. xhr.send(payload); ", 3 An Ohio State expert explains what to expect. This all depends on the severity of the virus. Your doctor will decide which is appropriate based on factors like your symptoms and whether you know you were exposed to someone with the virus. But former hallmarks of COVID-19 such as fevers, coughs, and loss of taste or smell had dwindled. var xhr = new XMLHttpRequest(); Ohio State Wexner Medical Center. A sinus infection that lasts for months is chronic sinusitis, which can be caused by an infection or growths in the nasal cavity. Additionally, some people who have COVID do not have any symptoms. And among unvaccinated people, he says, an omicron infection can feel like the same unforgiving disease to him. How long are you most contagious after a COVID-19 infection? 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. The virus spreads through respiratory droplets released when someone breathes, coughs, sneezes, talks or sings. Most of those patients were vaccinated, he said, so their symptoms tended to be milder and relatively short-lived. A runny nose and sneezing, congestion, and sore throat are a few symptoms that can pop up if you have . 2. They are highly contagious, with younger children, seniors, those with respiratory conditions, and those with compromised immunity more prone. A commuter masks up for a bus ride in Liverpool, England. Is your cold really a sinus infection? Do You Have Just a Sore Throat or Is It Strep? And doctors are finding a key difference among their patients who are ending up in the ER or being admitted: Many are neither struggling to breathe nor dealing with perilously low oxygen levels. The Anosmia/smell dysfunction returned and Im maybe even seeing this smell loss LAST LONGER than the original COVID variants. They canoccurwith viral infections, too. Many people report that one of the first symptoms of Omicron is a sore throat. It offers a comprehensive look at how COVID-19 symptoms have changed over the course of the pandemic most notably, with the advent of the Delta and Omicron variants. While it's welcome news that omicron is easier on the lungs, ProHEALTH's Griffin says it's not that way for some of his patients. However, if your symptoms worsen or last longer than two weeks, you should see your doctor for some relief. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The only way to know what you have for sure is to see a healthcare provider. Worried That Sore Throat Is Strep? After youve tested, call your primary care doctor to schedule an in-person or virtual visit. Then the researchers looked to see if there was a difference between people infected during the end of the delta wave and those infected during the early stage of the omicron wave. While you can take an at-home COVID-19 test, these are not 100% accurate. Learn about the symptoms of a sinus infection and how to, If your nasal discharge is any color other than clear, it could be a sign of an infection. Drink clear fluids, such as water and broth. Some of the most common symptoms include a sinus headache, runny nose, nasal congestion, sore throat, fatigue, and sneezing. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Xu and her team estimate that, in their study, about 60% of the people were vaccinated. With allergic rhinitis, you can have the above symptoms as well as itchy eyes. They need rest. Here's How to Look Decades Younger, "While the variant is considered less severe, more people have it than ever before and people are not isolated like in the early phases of the pandemic," says Walker. } else { Doctors try not to prescribe antibiotics unless they are definitely necessary because the over-prescription of antibiotics contributes to the rise of bacteria that is resistant to these drugs. Most of these patients retained their sense of smell and had disease course taht was brief 3 days or so. Thankfully, both of these conditions are treatable. COVID-19 lasts for about a week or two depending on its severity and your overall health. Before Omicron, Moreno said, his COVID-19 patients used to feel sick for about 10 to 14 days. And theyre better than nothing, especially on a weekend if you dont have other choices, Dr. Ruff says. If you've been exposed to Omicron or think you have the virus, who explained symptoms to watch out for. By Mark Gurarie If you have a mild case of COVID, you might be able to rest at home and avoid other people until you recover. You can protect yourself from COVID-19 by washing your hands . However, it may be helpful to avoid the substances you know youre allergic to as often as you can. If a person did end up in the hospital, the person's risk of being admitted to the ICU or being put on a ventilator also decreased substantially at the end of December compared with during the delta surge. Its always better to be safe than sorry. Emily is a health communication consultant, writer, and editor at EVR Creative, specializing in public health research and health promotion. Almost as soon as Omicron started spreading, doctors noticed slight differences in their patients' symptoms relative to prior variants. Allergies can be chronic or seasonal, but avoidance and medication can help alleviate your symptoms. Also explore types, prevention, and more. Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. Another preprint study, released earlier this month, showed that the viral load from an Omicron infection peaked in saliva one to two days before it peaked in nasal swabs a sign that Omicron may infect the throat before it infects the nose. Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. How to Tell If Its Allergy or Infection. advice every day. Whats the Difference Between Walking Pneumonia and Regular Pneumonia? They can talk to you about your symptoms, screen you for COVID risk factors, perform diagnostic tests to determine what is making you sick, and make sure that you get the appropriate treatment.