Allergies and sinus infections are very common amongst most people. Sometimes people confuse them and only find their different when they visit an allergy center. Here is everything you need to know about sinus infections and allergies.

What Are Allergies?

Allergies are typically the reactions of the body when an unwanted source of trigger comes in your body or in your bloodstream.

Causes Of Allergies

Allergies are caused by small microorganisms or living things and they are commonly known as triggers or allergens. Allergens can be of many types and there are different allergens or triggers in different seasons. This is why allergies are something that occurs all year round. Common types of allergens or triggers are as follows:

• Pollen
• Hay
• Pet hair
• Foods that don’t sit well with people
• Hives
• Fungus and molds
• Insects
• Dust and more

Allergies can also be caused by food, which can be seen by the lists of allergens or triggers mentioned above. Food allergies are usually tested by either consuming the certain food and seeing its reaction over time.

Diagnosis

Allergies, in general, are diagnosed through blood tests and patch tests. Blood is drawn and it is tested for allergens in a simple blood test. Whereas, in a patch test, a small sample of a certain allergen or trigger is allowed to enter the body or is given contact with the skin and the reaction is noted and recorded. The reactions can be any or all of the following:

• Red skin
• Itchiness
• Fever
• Runny nose
• Sneezing
• Shortness of breath
• Watery or dry eyes
• Swelling of the face and tongue
• Puss filled bumps, in case an insect bites you and you are allergic

These are some of the very common reactions which can occur, but every person reacts differently to the allergen.

Treatment

Talking about its treatment and alleviating the symptoms, you can try a number of things. First is allergy shots, but for this to work, you need to have a proper diagnosis from the doctor’s clinic. You can also try to protect yourself from the allergens and keep a good personal hygiene. Wearing a mask and washing your eyes, hands and face regularly can prevent the allergens from residing on your skin or clothes for too long.

What Are Sinus Infections?

Now that we have allergies out of the way, let’s talk about sinus infections. Sinus infections are also known collectively as sinusitis.

The main difference between allergies and sinus infections is that allergies are your body’s natural reaction to a foreign body, whereas sinus infections are caused when your nasal airways have an infection in them. Although the symptoms are nearly the same, they are two entirely different things.

Causes And Symptoms

Sinus infections are caused when your nose gets infected. This causes a lot of problems with breathing and your nose in general. You will feel especially worse in the morning, because your nose is completely blocked and stuffy and you will find it very difficult to breathe. Along with that, you will feel nasal congestion, stuffy nose, headaches associated with nasal congestion and more.

The reason why your nose feels stuffed and you are unable to breathe is because mucus and other secretions of the nose get stuck in your nose and there is apparently no way out for the secretions to allow your nose to inhale and exhale air.

Another very common symptom of sinusitis is that you will feel swollen around the cheeks and nose and it will be painful. This is due to overload of the mucus buildup around your nose.

Treatment

If the infection is viral, then it will settle in time and no medication can help you. Other than that, antihistamines and nasal sprays are a good choice to help you get rid of some of the discomfort you feel from the nasal congestion and nose blockage.

Final Word

There you have it! Now you know that allergies and sinus infections are two completely different things. Now you will be able to distinguish between the two and opt for the proper treatment plans. It is important for proper treatment and fast recovery that you should visit a general physician or any allergy specialist for diagnosis and treatment.