What is the difference between cold and sinus infection?

1. Cold, the upper respiratory tract’ infection, is a viral infection attributed to common viruses, whereas a sinus infection is attributed to bacteria, fungi or viruses.

2. The symptoms of viral cold includes

• Clear nasal discharge and low fever for a day or two in the initial stage
• Nasal discharge thickens and becomes green, yellow or white after two days.
• Thereafter, nasal discharge dries.
• Generally, the patient experiences cough that worsens at night.
• Intensity of the symptoms increases after five days. Thereafter the symptoms improve and gradually disappear within ten days.

3. A bacterial sinus infection symptoms include

• Symptoms of cold that do not improve and last for over ten days.
• Fever lasts up to four days.
• Thick yellow nasal discharge
• Painful headache in eye area
• The headache worsens if the patient bends over.
• Dark circles and swelling surround the eyes.
• Bad breath

4. Cold disappears within a week’s time. Sinus infection takes long to heal and may last beyond seven days.

5. Many times sinus infection follows a bad cold.

6. Although several over-the-counter (O.T.C.) medicines for cold also reduce the symptoms of a sinus infection, fungi and bacteria present in alarming quantity may interfere with sinus infection treatment and professional help is required.

7. A bacterial sinus infection is treated with antibiotics, whereas body’s immune system heals cold in most of the cases. There is no treatment for cold like many other viral infections.

8. Most of viruses causing cold thrive in an atmosphere that has less humidity and low temperature. Thus, cold generally occurs during winter and fall seasons. Over 200 hundred viruses can cause symptoms of cold.

9. Cold may lead to sinusitis, but vice versa may not be true.

10. Common cold patients can generally complete their daily routines at school, work and / or home.

11. Sore throat and cough are typical signs of common cold. However, these are mainly absent in the patients suffering from sinusitis.

12. Sinus infection impairs smell and taste. However, common cold does not.

13. In sinusitis, there may be pain in the sinus area affected. However, the cold does not trigger pain.