It’s winter, which means the usual germs are going around. The flu has been especially intense recently, with last year’s flu season being the most severe in over ten years, marked by the highest rate of hospitalizations since the 2010-11 season. At the same time, cold weather is associated with an increased risk of sinus infections. If you’ve had a fever and the sniffles, you may be wondering: is it the flu or a sinus infection, and how can you tell the difference?
The Flu vs. Sinusitis: What’s Happening in Your Body
Influenza, or the flu, is a virus that invades your body and begins reproducing inside your cells. Your immune system activates to destroy the invader, sending white blood cells and raising your body temperature to kill the virus. The most common symptoms of the flu are a fever, body aches, sore throat, runny nose, extreme fatigue and vomiting.
A sinus infection, also called sinusitis, occurs when the tissues lining the passages in your nose become inflamed, trapping mucus in your sinus cavities. Your sinus cavities—air-filled pockets behind your face—are designed to drain mucus, but when mucus accumulates in these spaces, it can become infected. Sinusitis is often caused by viral infections, such as the flu, the common cold or COVID-19, or by allergies. The symptoms of a sinus infection are a runny nose, congestion, thick mucus that is yellow or green and cloudy in color, fever, a feeling of pressure behind your face and postnasal drip.
How to Tell the Difference
These two conditions can be hard to differentiate at first, especially since the flu is a potential cause of sinusitis—it’s entirely possible to have both at the same time! But here are some of the key differences:
- The flu features body aches and muscle pain, but sinusitis does not.
- Facial pressure and sinus headaches are signs of sinusitis, but not the flu.
- Sinusitis will cause cloudy mucus that is yellow or green in color; mucus with the flu will still be watery and clear.
- While both the flu and sinusitis cause a fever, a fever is likely to come on faster and spike higher with the flu than it will with sinusitis.
- Sinus infections, on average, last longer than the flu.
How to Treat Symptoms
Both the flu and sinusitis typically clear up on their own with plenty of rest at home and drinking lots of fluids. Over-the-counter medications, particularly mild pain relievers (such as Tylenol or Advil), will relieve the symptoms of both conditions.
You can further relieve sinusitis symptoms with steam, moisture or warmth. Try taking a hot, steamy shower, a warm compress laid across the forehead and bridge of your nose, or keeping a humidifier next to you while you sleep.
If your sinus infection has persisted for longer than two weeks, or if symptoms escalate and become severe (such as a high fever), consult a healthcare professional or ENT specialist. They can prescribe antibiotics or refer you for other treatments as needed.
If you have any questions about sinus conditions or if you’re worried about a chronic sinus infection, call Southwest Idaho Ear, Nose and Throat today.