SINUS INFECTION OFTEN MASQUERADES AS COLD

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, February 25, 1992                   TAG: 9202250115
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: E-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: DR. PETER BERCZELLER
DATELINE: NEW YORK                                LENGTH: Medium
SINUS INFECTION OFTEN MASQUERADES AS COLD
Wheezing, nighttime cough, post nasal drip, a slight fever, chills, tightness in the chest. Sounds like all the symptoms of a typical winter's cold. Right?
Possibly wrong. It could be a sinus infection masquerading as the common cold.
Every winter numerous patients complain of feeling listless and having one "cold" after another. Their symptoms are similar to those of a chest cold, or even bronchitis.
But many of these patients have additional symptoms such as headaches, heartburn and loss of appetite that are not generally associated with lower respiratory problems.
It's these symptoms, together with the initial "cold" characteristics, that indicate the root cause - a sinus infection.
Typically, the present illness began a few days to two weeks after the patient recovered from an upper respiratory infection or head cold.
Upper respiratory infection may lead to the infection and inflammation of one or more of the sinuses, a condition known as sinusitis.
The excess drainage from the sinuses trickles down the throat and into the lower respiratory tract, causing the coughing, phlegm, chest soreness, wheezing, and other symptoms that mimic the common cold.
And swallowing, rather than spitting out the mucus, can irritate the stomach, leading to heartburn and loss of appetite.
Making the sinuses more open so they can drain properly is critical to relieving the various symptoms.
Antibiotics, which are frequently prescribed for respiratory infections, are usually ineffective taken alone. The congested sinuses must first be open so the secretions containing the bacteria can be evacuated.
The use of decongestant nose drops, followed by steam from a hot shower or a vaporizer, should help evacuate the mucus. The person should blow his or her nose and cough up as much mucus as possible to clear the passageways.
The best times for decongestants and steam are just before bedtime and immediately after awakening.
If this twice-a-day regimen is followed, together with nighttime use of a vaporizer, the "cold" that has hung on for weeks can usually be cleared up in several days.

Peter Berczeller is a professor of clinical medicine at New York University Medical Center.

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB