Ashford Clinic Blog
Can Sinus Infections Cause Fever?
Is it typical to run a fever when you have a sinus infection? Yes. When you’re feeling ill, it’s normal to run through your symptoms in an attempt to identify why you’re sick. Sinus infections very often come with fevers, but there are different types of sinus infections. Fevers can indicate which type of sinus infection that you have.
There are two major causes of sinus infections, and they are viral sinus infections and bacterial sinus infections. Cold and flu symptoms are often similar to or overlap with symptoms of sinus infections, but they aren’t all the same. Cold symptoms tend to include coughing, nasal congestion, sneezing, fatigue and body aches, sore throats, and occasional fever.
Typical symptoms of Viral Sinus Infections
- Fever
- Facial pain
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Thick opaque discharge
- Cough
- Post-nasal drip
- Bad breath
- Viral sinus infections tend to last 10 or more days, but begin clearing up around Day 10.
Typical symptoms of a Bacterial Sinus Infection
- Similar symptoms to a viral sinus infection
- Fever that lasts several days in a row
- Symptoms become worse after 7-10 days
- Often requires antibiotics
With so many similar symptoms, how do you know whether your fever is indicative of a viral or bacterial sinus infection though? The key is really in how long the fever lasts. If your fever only lasts about a day, then it’s likely viral. If your fever lasts for several days, then it’s likely bacterial.
As far as treatment goes, over the counter medications tend to manage symptoms well for viral sinus infections. If it’s bacterial though, then you’re likely going to need antibiotics. In either case, it’s best to see your doctor though. Untreated sinus infections can have long term negative impacts on your health, and your doctor will be able to determine which treatments will work best for you.
