differentiating sinusitis and colds
Question:
Does anyone know a reliable way of telling the difference between colds and sinusitis? It is cold season here, and it might sound silly, but I’m not sure what I’ve got this time. I’ve got something that came on and feels like a cold (itchy eyes and back of throat, lots of sneezing (I’m not allergic), lots of mucus and yellow stuff, sore glands in throat) but nearly all of the muck is coming out of my ‘bad’ side. I’ve been on my usual course of Augmentin for 5 days, but there is still stacks of congestion and yellow stuff, most of it coming out of the bad side. Otherwise I feel OK now. I’m worried that it’s really a sinus infection that’s finally developed resistance to Augmentin, but if it’s a cold then that would be normal, I guess. I seem to remember that before I started having to take antibiotics with colds my colds used to go for a couple of weeks with lots of yellow stuff. ie I guess I’m asking whether you can have lots of yellow discharge and thick mucus with a cold even though you are on antibiotics. Thanks, Ann
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Ann wrote: > Does anyone know a reliable way of telling the difference between colds and > sinusitis? It is cold season here, and it might sound silly, but I’m not > sure what I’ve got this time. I’ve got something that came on and feels like > a cold (itchy eyes and back of throat, lots of sneezing (I’m not allergic), > lots of mucus and yellow stuff, sore glands in throat) but nearly all of the > muck is coming out of my ‘bad’ side. I’ve been on my usual course of > Augmentin for 5 days, but there is still stacks of congestion and yellow > stuff, most of it coming out of the bad side. Otherwise I feel OK now. I’m > worried that it’s really a sinus infection that’s finally developed > resistance to Augmentin, but if it’s a cold then that would be normal, I > guess. I seem to remember that before I started having to take antibiotics > with colds my colds used to go for a couple of weeks with lots of yellow > stuff. > ie I guess I’m asking whether you can have lots of yellow discharge and > thick mucus with a cold even though you are on antibiotics.
Yes. With a common cold, the secretions often turn thick and yellow towards the end of the cold. But there is one sure-fire difference between a common cold and bacterial sinusitis: A common cold is self-limiting, and bacterial sinusitis may or may not be. Most colds vanish in two weeks or less. If after two weeks, you’re still sick, it’s probably not a simple cold. What complicates the situation, is that it can start out like a cold (and the sudden onset you describe sounds like a simple cold). But then the simple cold can turn into a secondary bacterial sinus infection. In two weeks, you will know one way or the other. — Steven D. Litvintchouk Email: sdlit…@earthlink.net "I guess I could have paid a little closer attention when I was in English class, but it all worked out OK. I’m gainfully employed." – President George W. Bush
Response:
Filed under: Sinusitis Antibiotics
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