Symptoms of sinusitis include nasal congestion or stuffiness, facial pressure or pain, drainage from the nose, and a diminished sense of smell. Some will also experience fevers, fatigue and cough. All these symptoms are remarkably similar to those of a common cold or allergy attack, but it is important to distinguish between them for appropriate treatment. Drainage in allergy tends to be thin and watery. Symptoms of allergy typically occur when exposed to something in the environment to which you are sensitive, for example, Aunt Bea's new Himalayan cat, or ragweed in the schoolyard.
Symptoms tend to clear-up once the environmental culprit has been removed.
For some, allergy testing and shots may be needed to resolve the problems. Colds are viral infections that usually occur after exposure to someone else who is sick. The symptoms, while similar to sinusitis, last only about a week. Antibiotics have no role in treating common colds. Sinusitis differs from cold or allergy by being a bacterial infection causing swelling, congestion, and drainage from the nose and sinuses.