Differential Diagnosis
- Single most likely diagnosis
- Acute Sinusitis: The combination of cough, congestion, postnasal drip, runny nose, and eye socket head pain that radiates to the jaw, along with clear phlegm and erythematous nasal passages, strongly suggests an infection of the paranasal sinuses. The symptoms are classic for a viral or bacterial sinusitis.
- Other Likely diagnoses
- Allergic Rhinitis: The presence of runny nose, congestion, and postnasal drip could also indicate an allergic reaction, especially if the symptoms are seasonal or triggered by specific allergens. However, the eye socket head pain and radiation to the jaw are less typical for allergic rhinitis.
- Viral Upper Respiratory Infection (URI): Many of the symptoms, such as cough, runny nose, and congestion, could be part of a viral URI. The absence of systemic symptoms like fever and the specific localization of pain to the eye socket and jaw might lean more towards sinusitis, but URI remains a possibility.
- Vasomotor Rhinitis: This condition involves chronic sneezing, congestion, or runny nose, typically without the presence of allergies. It could explain some symptoms but not the full spectrum, especially the specific pain pattern.
- Do Not Miss (ddxs that may not be likely, but would be deadly if missed.)
- Meningitis: Although less likely, given the absence of high fever, stiff neck, and altered mental status, meningitis can present with headache and could be considered in a differential diagnosis to ensure no critical condition is overlooked.
- Orbital Cellulitis: This is an infection of the tissues surrounding the eye, which could explain the eye socket pain but would typically include more pronounced signs of infection around the eye, such as swelling, redness, and possibly vision changes.
- Temporal Arteritis: This condition, more common in older adults, involves inflammation of the blood vessels and can cause headache, but it typically includes other symptoms like jaw claudication, visual disturbances, and an elevated ESR.
- Rare diagnoses
- Sarcoidosis: A systemic disease that can affect multiple parts of the body, including the sinuses, and could potentially cause some of the symptoms listed, but it would be an uncommon presentation.
- Wegener's Granulomatosis (Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis): A rare autoimmune disorder that can affect the sinuses, lungs, and kidneys, and might present with some overlapping symptoms, but it's much less common and typically includes more systemic symptoms and specific findings on diagnostic tests.