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 March 14, 2020 Eyes watering? Runny nose? Feel like your head is locked in an ever-tighter vice? Sounds like the start of seasonal allergies, maybe a cold or flu . . . but not COVID-19. To keep anxiety levels down, and reduce the crush on local healthcare during the coronavirus pandemic, it's important to know the difference between seasonal allergies or other illness and the more serious COVID-19. "This novel coronavirus causes a respiratory illness manifested by fever, cough and difficulty breathing," said Dr. Virginia Bieluch, the chief of infectious diseases at The Hospital of Central Connecticut in New Britain. Pay particular attention to that combination of three symptoms. Less frequently, says the World Health Organization, a COVID-19 infection can produce symptoms similar to the flu like aches and pains, sore throat, runny nose, nasal congestion or diarrhea. Wonder if your painful sore throat is from a cold, strep throat, or
tonsillitis? Here's help with how to tell. A sore throat is often
the first sign of a cold. However, a sore throat from a cold often gets better or goes away after the first day or two. Other cold symptoms such as a runny nose and congestion may
follow the sore throat. Strep throat, which is an infection due to streptococcus bacteria, is another cause of sore throats and tonsillitis. With strep throat, the sore throat is often more severe and persists. Tonsillitis is a painful inflammation or infection of the tonsils, the tissue masses located at
the back of the throat. Sore throats can be caused by viruses or bacteria. The most common causes of sore throats are viruses. Viral sore throats are often accompanied by other cold symptoms that may include a
runny nose, cough, red or watery eyes, and
sneezing. Other causes of sore throat include smoking, pollution or irritants in the air, allergies, and dry air. In addition to a sore throat, other common
cold symptoms include: Although there is
no cure for a sore throat caused by a cold virus, there are ways to help you feel more comfortable. Drinking warm liquids, gargling with warm salt water, sucking on ice chips, or taking an over-the-counter medicine may relieve symptoms of pain or fever. When you are sick with a cold, it is also important to get enough rest, eat a healthy diet, and drink plenty of fluids. Can Medications Relieve Symptoms of a Sore Throat With a Cold?Over-the-counter cold medications may relieve cold and sore throat symptoms. However, the benefits of these drugs are minimal. Some cold medications include:
Antibiotics should not be used to treat a cold virus and sore throat. Antibiotics are effective only against bacteria. They will not work on sore throats associated with colds, which are caused by viruses. Strep throat is caused by an infection of streptococcus bacteria. Strep throat spreads by having contact with an infected person's
saliva or nasal secretions. Although strep throat is more common in children ages 5 to 15, it also occurs in adults. To diagnose strep throat, your doctor can check a rapid strep test or send a throat swab to the lab for a culture. In some cases, they may be able to diagnose strep based on your reported symptoms and other signs, such as white
spots in the throat area, fever, and swollen lymph nodes in the neck. Strep throat can cause more serious illnesses, such as rheumatic fever, a disease that may harm the
heart valves. That's why it's important to get proper medical treatment. With proper treatment, strep throat is usually cured within 10 days. Strep throat symptoms are usually more severe than symptoms of a sore throat with a cold and may include the following:
Do I Need to See My Doctor if I Think I Have Strep Throat?The symptoms of a cold and strep throat can be very similar. If you think you have symptoms of strep throat, visit your healthcare provider. Your doctor will ask you about your symptoms and do a physical exam, and you may be given a strep test. What Is a Strep Test for a Sore Throat?A rapid strep test checks for streptococcus bacteria infection in the throat. The test is painless and takes very little time. The tip of a cotton swab is used to wipe the back of the throat. The swab is then tested right away. If the strep test is positive, you have strep throat. If the strep test is negative, you likely do not have strep throat. However, if there are strong signs of strep throat, your healthcare provider can do a different throat swab test that is sent to the lab to see if strep bacteria can be grown (cultured) from it. A throat culture takes a couple of days for results. Strep throat is treated using antibiotics, which kill the bacteria causing the infection. Antibiotics are often taken as pills or given as a shot.
Penicillin and amoxicillin are common antibiotics used to treat strep throat. Other antibiotics are prescribed for people who are allergic to penicillin. Follow your
healthcare provider's instructions for antibiotic use. Take all of the medication, even if you feel better. You should feel better within a day or two. A person with strep throat should stay home until 24 hours after starting the antibiotic. If your strep throat is not getting better, let your healthcare provider know right away. Do not stop taking your prescribed medicine unless your health care provider tells you to. Call your healthcare provider if these symptoms occur:
How Is Tonsillitis Different From a Sore Throat With a Cold?Sometimes, a sore throat is caused by tonsillitis, an inflammation of the tonsils. Tonsillitis can be caused by viruses or bacteria. While the tonsils' job is to help fight infection, the tonsils can also become infected. When they do, the result is tonsillitis and a very painful sore throat. How Are Tonsillitis Symptoms Different From Symptoms of a Sore Throat With a Cold?In addition to a sore throat, a cold usually causes nasal symptoms, such as runny nose or congestion. With tonsillitis, your tonsils become swollen and may have telltale white or yellow spots. Other symptoms with tonsillitis include the following:
How Is a Sore Throat From Tonsillitis Treated?If the tonsillitis infection is bacterial like strep throat, then antibiotics are given. If the tonsillitis infection is viral, antibiotics will not help. The virus must run its course for the sore throat to resolve. For either type of throat infection, the following treatment measures may help:
If the tonsillitis infections occur repeatedly, or if the tonsils are interfering with sleep and breathing, the doctor may recommend a tonsillectomy, which is the surgical removal of the tonsils. What would you like to learn about next?
What helps runny nose and sneezing and sore throat?Runny Nose, Watery Eyes, and Sneezing
That leads to sneezing, a runny nose, and watery eyes. Over-the-counter antihistamines such as chlorpheniramine and diphenhydramine block this process and can relieve those symptoms.
Is a runny nose and sneezing Covid symptoms?Is Sneezing Really a Symptom of COVID? Although initially not thought to be a prominent COVID-19 symptom, it is often found in people with the omicron variant. The ZOE COVID Study found that sneezing is an increasingly common symptom of COVID-19.
What does it mean when you keep sneezing and have a runny nose?Overview. Nonallergic rhinitis involves chronic sneezing or a congested, drippy nose with no apparent cause. Nonallergic rhinitis symptoms are similar to those of hay fever (allergic rhinitis), but with none of the usual evidence of an allergic reaction. Nonallergic rhinitis can affect children and adults.
Why does my throat hurt and why do I keep sneezing?The most common causes of sore throats are viruses. Viral sore throats are often accompanied by other cold symptoms that may include a runny nose, cough, red or watery eyes, and sneezing. Other causes of sore throat include smoking, pollution or irritants in the air, allergies, and dry air.
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Why am i sneezing so much and have a runny nose and sore throat
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