Sinus Infection or Allergies?
Knowledge is Power!
When singers experience congestion, this interferes with singing — sometimes to the point of laryngitis. Asking the question: “Is this a sinus infection or allergies?” is your first step to finding relief. You will soon realize whether it is sinus infection or allergies, giving you the power and the confidence to choose the best remedies to becoming free of congestion!
This post — Sinus Infection or Allergies? — is loaded with helpful tips, so you can begin to feel and to discover the difference between suffering from sinus infection or allergies. This puts YOU in charge of your well-being.
My Own Struggle:
Is it sinus infection or is it allergies?!
As I turned 22 years old, symptoms that had lurked beneath the surface began to steadily worsen. That spring brought a major attack of congestion, just in time to disrupt singing responsibilities during my senior year at the Conservatory. I hurried to the Ear Nose Throat specialist doctor.
This episode was the onset of languishing through 9 years of misdiagnosis: “You have common allergies — river valley syndrome.” I had lived in three different river valleys, yes.
But there was one little wrinkle in this brilliant diagnosis: I had not been given a CT scan of my sinuses. This was simply forgotten about, until at last it dawned upon one of the doctors to ask, “Oh, you haven’t had a sinus CT scan?”
— Unbelievable! After 9 years of the question: Is it sinus infection or is it allergies?! This was a major (negligent) oversight on the part of the medical care providers, to say the least, especially when I continuously complained about the fact that the congestion was interfering with my singing, which was my livelihood.
What Is a Sinus CT Scan?
This radiologic test, a CT scan of the sinuses, is the deepest x-ray examination we have, so the doctors can get the most comprehensive study possible, viewing the sinuses in thin layers.
Viewer warning: Not everyone is comfortable looking at images of human anatomy.
This next video educates us about how to understand a CT scan of the sinuses and it is somewhat graphic of the nose and sinus anatomy.
Let’s not view my own CT scan, because that one would be way too unpleasant! But once we had this test of my sinuses, BINGO, the real diagnosis was finally plain: I had “chronic obstructive sinusitis,” meaning there were structural malformations blocking the sinuses from draining normally.
When the sinuses cannot drain, they quickly become blocked with congestion, and this results in bacterial infection of the sinuses.
Lots of luck singing around this mess — a nightmare for any singer! My own condition was particularly involved and required endoscopic sinus surgery, over 2 hours for the surgeon to complete. The great news is that the surgery was a 100% cure for the chronic sinus infections and for the constant excess mucus production.
So was it sinus infection or allergies?
Well, my situation was maybe 2% allergies and at least 98% chronic sinus infection. My ENT surgeon was correct in his prediction that once I healed from the surgery, I would no longer need treatment for allergies, which I had been put through, for five years.
Point being that if trained specialist physicians, asking the question of whether it is sinus infection or allergies, can actually get this wrong, misdiagnosing a patient for 9 long years, then any of us can be confused by the symptoms.
Yet, knowing the answer to this question makes a big difference in successfully treating the problem. For the sake of my singing career, I had no choice but to find the answers.
Those 9 years of misdiagnosis hell encompassed the time my professional career was just taking off. I was making solo debuts at the Kennedy Center, at Lincoln Center, in Germany, Japan, Canada, and throughout the US, all the while I was constantly fighting through a great deal of congestion, under pressure to sing my best, regardless.
The hope is that sharing what I have learned will benefit other singers. This means you, right here, right now!
To begin, whether it is sinus infection or allergies, the main symptom is the same: excess mucus production, i.e., you are badly congested. Many of the symptoms are the same; however, the treatment differs, whether you are suffering from sinus infection or allergies. And please bear in mind that symptoms of a sinus infection will usually persist long after a common cold virus has resolved.
I would recommend this closely related blog post, while you are asking yourself, “Is it sinus infection or allergies?”
Overproduction of Mucus in Your Throat
Figuring out whether it is sinus infection or allergies can be tricky. How are you supposed to discover what is what?! Here is an overview to guide you:
IS IT SINUS INFECTION OR ALLERGIES?
TELL-TALE SIGNS OF SINUS INFECTION
1) Discolored secretions.
A sinus infection often will produce secretions (mucus) which is discolored. A darker color generally means infection. For example, mucus that is a dark yellow color or a dark green color or a dark mauve color is likely a sign of bacterial infection.
An excellent source of recommendations is found here, an article by renowned Harvard-educated physician, Dr. Andrew Weil:
Great Home Remedies for Sinus Infections
2) Infection can be stubborn and persistent.
A sinus infection might indeed clear up on its own in a few weeks or so, sure. But for a singer, this will likely be too long and potentially cost you singing engagements. And one of the hallmarks of sinus infection is that they often are very stubborn and persistent.
Sinus infection or allergies? In fact, a sinus infection, by definition, means that the sinuses are unable to drain for some reason (heavy congestion, structural blockages, etc.). When the sinuses cannot drain, bacteria accumulates. This causes infection. Speaking with ENT doctors over the years, I realize that sinus infections are, by nature, are often tough to eradicate. More on this shortly.
3) Ask for a CT scan of your sinuses.
It does not hurt to ask your physician to order this test. If your doctor has a good reason against ordering it, make sure you understand the reason. Good communication between you and your doctor is vital. One thing is certain: Whether you are suffering from sinus infection or allergies, if the communication with your doctor is poor, your recovery will be delayed.
An example of a situation in which a sinus CT scan might be indicated: So often we have a common cold, and then we recover from this in the usual time (roughly 10 days, more or less). But then, even when we feel better, we still have sinus congestion. And this tends to hang on indefinitely, often until a doctor orders antibiotics.
The first course of antibiotics might be sufficient. Sometimes a second course is necessary, possibly requiring a different drug. Here’s a case in which a sinus CT scan might be ordered, to rule out abnormalities, which could cause chronic sinus infection.
4) You just recovered from a bad cold, flu, sinus infection, or upper respiratory infection, but you are still congested.
As mentioned above, this can be caused by an ongoing stubborn sinus infection, probably requiring antibiotic treatment. Adding to the confusion is that, once you recover from a bad respiratory virus, your immunity is likely depressed. Now you have a perfect environment for allergies to flare up — even if you don’t normally have these allergy symptoms. When our immune systems are down, needing more time to recover from a recent respiratory illness in particular, don’t be surprised if your persistent sinus troubles are actually the work of allergies.
Good news: not only does this help answer the question of whether your condition is actually sinus infection or allergies, but also in this case, your symptoms will not last long and you will likely make a full recovery.
IS IT SINUS INFECTION OR ALLERGIES?
TELL-TALE SIGNS OF ALLERGIES:
1) Allergies to airborne inhalants are likely to produce thin, watery secretions that are clear or light yellow.
Conversely, with sinus infections the secretions are usually much thicker and darkly discolored (dark yellow, dark green, dark mauve).
2) Allergies tend to cause sneezing, perhaps a dry, hacking cough, redness of the eyes, watery eyes, post nasal drainage, clear, watery secretions, and inflamed scratchy throat.
Sinus infections usually do not cause a lot of sneezing. The sore throat you might have from a sinus infection is likely going to feel quite different than the sore throat coming from allergies. Yes, it’s possible to recognize the difference. Stay tuned!
Is it sinus infection or allergies?
IMPORTANT: Although symptoms of a sinus infection are similar, they are not exactly alike. What I know from experience is that if you really tune into your body, you can begin to discover and recognize the differences.
As singers, we cannot actually see our vocal anatomy, where the sound originates. So we must learn to FEEL our voices and indeed to feel much more what is happening throughout our bodies. Singers are indeed well tuned into their bodies.
If you are not quite at this level of proficiency, hang in there, keep singing (with healthy technique, please!), keep up with your lessons, and you soon will begin to FEEL MUCH MORE, what is happening in your voice and indeed throughout your entire body. Remember, as singers our entire bodies are our instruments!
3) Allergies will respond to antihistamines, whereas sinus infection will not.
On the subject of antihistamines, singers absolutely should NOT use antihistamines, except for the natural antihistamine which is the stinging nettles herb. If you know of other NATURAL antihistamines, fine. But please DO NOT USE pharmaceutical antihistamines, except perhaps topical Benadryl lotion or ointment, for skin irritation (poison ivy, mosquito bites, etc.).
The problem with these conventional antihistamines is they dry the throat. This alone causes thick mucus to form, as your body reacts to a dried out mucosal lining. This becomes a major problem for singing; in fact your congestion can easily worsen, from using conventional pharmaceutical antihistamines!
This next one is a crucial post about natural remedies for singers’ allergies. For discovering whether it’s sinus infection or allergies, give this a try. You can thank me later!
Sinus infection or allergies? — Or both?!
Wait, what?! Could it actually be BOTH sinus infection AND allergies?! –Sure thing! But it is likely that either the sinus infection or the allergies will clear up; one or the other of these ailments will at least temporarily go away.
Tune into what you are feeling, in your voice and throughout your body. After one or the other ailment runs its course, it will be easier to determine if the remaining symptoms are sinus infection or allergies.
Are you having thin, watery, mostly clear drainage? This is almost certain nasal allergies, reacting to airborne inhalants (pollen, dust, pet dander, and similar allergens that are not food, i.e., you are almost certainly inhaling these allergens, not eating or drinking them).
Do symptoms of sneezing, watery congestion, perhaps redness of the eye, irritated, itching eyes, watering eyes, perhaps a dry, hacking cough — do these tend to clear up when you use an antihistamine? This is a major indication you are dealing with common allergies to airborne inhalants.
But if antihistamines (please use only stinging nettle herb!) have no effect upon your symptoms, and if the secretions are thick, darkly colored, and perhaps most importantly as a tell-tale sign of sinus infection, IF YOU HAVE SUFFERED FOR WEEKS OR MORE FROM THESE RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS, this is a strong indication you have chronic sinus infection. Please ask your doctor for a CT scan of your sinuses, to rule out chronic obstructive sinusitis.
The next resource to consider is one I strongly recommend: outstanding advice for treating nasal allergies to airborne inhalants, including specific dosage instructions for using natural antihistamines, e.g., stinging nettle capsules.
This is excellent advice:
Dr. Weil Treatment for Allergies
More about stinging nettle herb is found here:
RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS
Discovering whether you have sinus infection or allergies requires that you take the bull by the horns and accept responsibility for your own well-being. If you merely sit around wondering whether it is a sinus infection or allergies and believing there is not much you can do to help yourself, then you only waste valuable time.
But if you proactively and consistently focus upon treating the problem, trying natural remedies, reading good sources of helpful information, and coordinating with your own doctors, you gain control over being able to expedite your recovery, so you can sooner sing well again.
You can email me and I will help you sort things out, pertaining to your singing, your voice, your music, and most of all pertaining to whether you are dealing with sinus infection or allergies.
If I believe you need a doctor, I will help you find a good singers’ ENT in your local area, if you would like. Use the email address on the Contact page of this website, please.
Always with emphasis upon a singers’ well-being, I very much hope this post helps you deal with the confusing question: Is it sinus infection or is it allergies?
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