How Can I Tell If I Have A Sinus Infection or Cold? – Nurse’s Guide
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How Can I Tell If I Have A Sinus Infection or Cold? – Nurse’s Guide
To find out more about how I cured myself of many a chronic sinus infection naturally forever go to my nurse’s website http://www.SinusCureReport.com for tips, treatments, natural treatments, causes and remedies and info on symptoms, surgery, nasal irrigation, sinus headaches and more!
If you think you have a cold or a sinus infection now and are wondering which one it is perhaps the following comparison of symptoms will help you determine which it is. A cold or more correctly the common cold is caused by a virus. It generally lasts only 3 days or so. An infection in the sinuses, which is also called sinusitis, either acute or chronic, is usually caused by fungus (mold). This was not known for many years until some research and studies were done a few years ago.
Because sinus infections are mostly caused by fungus not bacteria that is why antibiotics don’t work for most people plus the fact it became doubtful the antibiotics could even reach the sinus cavities. People got better after three weeks, which they would have anyway without the antibiotics and they were commonly prescribed for 7 days.
Sinusitis actually refers to not only sinus infections but to any inflammation of the sinus cavities of which there are eight – paired up in sets of four.
If you have a cold you’ll probably have upper respiratory symptoms such as a runny nose or clogged up nose, some post-nasal drip, a headache possibly and general malaise or fatigue. You might have a cough and a temperature or fever. There is no treatment necessary for the treatment of the common cold except you can try nasal irrigation.
Sinus infection symptoms include nasal congestion, a slight cough here and there or hacking cough, a feeling of tiredness, fatigue or exhaustion not attributed to anything else, possible pressure or pain over the cheekbones or forehead or top of the head on one side, possibly a slightly sore throat and post-nasal drip (that means sinus drainage down into the back of your throat.)
Some of the sinus symptoms are similar to the symptoms of a common cold. This makes it confusing to patients. But you can usually tell if the symptoms last for more than a week or just don’t go away. The biggest indicator however as it advances is the yellow mucus. If you see yellow mucus in your sinus drainage– coughing up bits of it, then it is more than likely a sinus infection.
As I mentioned most colds go away after three days or so, even without drugs or medications. This is true for sinus infections also. I would not take decongestants, pain relievers and cough medicines to ease the sinus symptoms and especially no antihistamines because they’ll dry up the mucous in the sinuses and stop the drainage from getting through. Plus the other medications have many side effects and in the end don’t help. There is a lot you can do for sinus relief with natural home treatment for sinus infections however, that don’t involve taking harmful drugs or medications.
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