Can I Get Antibiotics For Sinus Infection

What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Chronic Sinus Infection

Chronic sinusitis emerges more insidiously than acute sinusitis. At times, however, the symptoms start suddenly and may resemble that of the common cold or acute sinusitis that just wont go away.

Chronic sinusitis is most likely if you have two or more of the following symptoms:

• Nasal congestion or stuffy nose
• Mucus and pus-like discharge
• Facial pain, pressure around your eyes and nose, or fullness
• Partial or complete loss of your sense of smell

Chronic cough, sore throat, and fatigue may also be seen in a chronic sinus infection. That said, these symptoms are not required for the diagnosis of chronic rhinosinusitis.

Antibiotics For Sinus Infection

A sinus infection, also referred to as sinusitis, is more than just having trouble breathing through your nose. Its an infection and inflammation of your sinus cavities.

While most sinus infections are viral and do not require antibiotics, when the infection lasts more than seven to ten days, it may be caused by bacteria and its likely youll need antibiotics.

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When Antibiotics Are Appropriate Treatment

Antibiotics may be given to people who are less able to fight off infection, such as those with diabetes, or serious heart or lung disease.

In addition, antibiotics can be given to those whose symptoms have gotten worse or those who show no improvement after seven days.

If antibiotics are given, a 10- to 14-day course is recommended, according to the practice guidelines. Amoxicillin or amoxicillin clavulanate are typically the first choice for people who are not allergic to penicillin.

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Antibiotics And Sinus Infections

When a sinus infection hits, it seems worse than what you remembered from the last time you had one. This may give you the idea that you need antibiotics, but most clear up without them. Antibiotics have no effect on viruses and aren’t recommended within the first week of developing a cold. About 70% of sinus infections go away within two weeks without antibiotics.

Consider these other forms of treatments instead of antibiotics:

• These medications are available for over-the-counter purchase. Be careful to only take these medications for a few days at most, as they can cause the return of more severe congestions.
• Over-the-counter pain relievers Aspirins, acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help relieve temporary pain.
• Saline nasal spray This is used to spray into your nose several times a day to rinse your nasal passages. It can help to prevent and treat inflammation.

Antibiotics only will be needed if the infection is severe, recurrent or persistent.

The likelihood of bacterial infection increases when:

• Symptoms last seven days or more, particularly when symptoms initially improve and then worsen.
• Mucus is thick and yellow or green in color.
• There is facial or sinus tenderness, particularly if it’s worse on one side of the face.
• Pain is present in the upper teeth and is worse on one side of the face.

If the infection becomes severe, recurrent or persistent, contact your provider.

Will Sinus Infection Clear On Its Own

Sinusitis often develops after a cold or viral infection. Most sinus infections improve on their own, but sometimes they develop into a bacterial infection swelling, inflammation, and mucus production caused by the cold can lead to blockage in the nasal passages, which may encourage the growth of bacteria.

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Why Might Your Doctor Recommend Antibiotics For Sinusitis

You doctor may recommend antibiotics if:

• You have symptoms of a bacterial infection and you have not gotten better after 10 days, even with home treatment.
• Your symptoms are severe, or you have other problems, such as pus forming in your sinus cavities.
• You have had sinusitis for 12 weeks or longer .

What Causes Fungal Sinusitis

Several types of fungi can cause a sinus infection. Most fungal sinus infections result from mold or yeast. Tiny fungi can enter the sinuses when someone breaths them in.

Many types of fungus live on or inside the body all the time. Theyre usually only dangerous to people who have a weakened immune system.

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Should You Treat A Sinus Infection With Antibiotics

Over the past few months Ive seen patient after patient drag themselves to the clinic with coughing, sneezing, headaches and green or yellow nasal discharge, sometimes accompanied by ear and tooth pain. Some people with infection may experience fevers, chills or night sweats signs that the body is fighting a virus or bacteria. These are symptoms I expect as a primary care doctor especially during the spring seasons. They are the telltale signs of sinusitis. But if that sums up symptoms you have, do you need antibiotics? The question may be more complicated than you think.

Each year, more than 30 million Americans endure sinusitis an inflammation of sinus spaces surrounding the nose that makes it difficult to drain fluid that normally flows through the sinuses. Much like a detective weighing clues, us health providers use symptom severity and duration to determine the cause of a patients sickness.

The World Health Organization has called antibiotic resistance one of the biggest threats to global health, saying misuse of antibiotics in humans and animals is accelerating the process.

At a health professionals discretion, antibiotics can be prescribed if a person appears very sick or has any underlying chronic disease that may make them prone to becoming sicker.

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When To Seek Medical Care

See a doctor if you have:

• Severe symptoms, such as severe headache or facial pain.
• Symptoms that get worse after improving.
• Symptoms lasting more than 10 days without getting better.
• Fever longer than 3-4 days.

You should also seek medical care if you have had multiple sinus infections in the past year.

This list is not all-inclusive. Please see a doctor for any symptom that is severe or concerning.

Other conditions can cause symptoms similar to a sinus infection, including:

• Seasonal allergies

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When To Take Antibioticsand When Other Treatments May Work Better

If youve been knocked out by sinus infection symptomsstuffiness, face pain or pressure, nasal dischargeyour doctor might recommend that you wait it out for a week or so before resorting to an antibiotic. And she or he might be right: Antibiotics are often not necessary for clearing up a sinus infection, according to recent research.

As a result, many health experts, including Zara Patel, M.D., a sinus infection expert and assistant professor of otolaryngology at Stanford University in Stanford, Calif., are urging doctors to think twice before prescribing antibiotics for sinus and other respiratory infections.

A 2016 study, published in JAMA, found that people who went to the doctor with a sinus infection were more likely to leave with a prescription for antibiotics than people seeing the doctor for any other reason . But some doctors, pointing to newer evidence, are starting to take a more cautious approach.

For acute sinusitis, there are very well-done studies indicating that antibiotics are not necessary in the vast majority of patients, and most people will be able to clear an infection on their own, Patel says.

What Is The Treatment For Chronic Sinus Infection

When it comes to treating chronic sinusitis, theres no one-size-fits-all solution. While several treatment options are available, what works for one person may not be appropriate for the other. Hence, we tailor the treatment to each individuals needs, symptoms, and whether or not other conditions are also at play.

The goals of treating chronic sinusitis are to address the allergic causes, minimize inflammation, promote free sinus drainage, and eradicate the infection .

Here are a few potential treatment options for chronic sinusitis. We will likely try out a combination of two or more of these options to see what works best for you.

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Using Unverified Home Remedies

How To Treat Sinus Infections Without Antibiotics

While sinus infections caused by viruses, allergies, or other non-bacterial factors may not require antibiotics, they still cause the same symptoms which make you feel sick.

Symptoms of a sinus infection include:

• Nasal congestion
• Pain or tenderness around the eyes, cheeks, or forehead
• Thick nasal or post-nasal drainage

Taking steps to alleviate your sinusitis symptoms is often the best treatment to lessen your discomfort.

Sinus infection treatment options include:

• Drink plenty of fluids
• Rest, especially the first few days, to help your body fight the infection
• Moisturize the air with a cool-mist vaporizer
• Elevate your head while sleeping to decrease post-nasal drip
• Take warm showers or baths, as steam can soothe your sore throat and loosen mucus
• Gargle with warm salt water for a sore throat
• Use saline nasal spray or nasal irrigation kit to alleviate congestion
• Use over-the-counter treatments, such as nasal drops and sprays or pseudoephedrine pills, as your doctor recommends them

What Not to Do for a Sinus Infection

You should always follow your doctors instructions when you are diagnosed with a sinus infection.

Do not:

• Ask for antibiotics if your doctor feels they are unnecessary
• Take antibiotics that are prescribed for someone else
• Skip doses of your antibiotics or stop taking your antibiotics early when your doctor prescribes them
• Save antibiotics for the next time you get sick

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What Decongestants And Nasal Sprays Soothe Or Cure Sinus Infections Or Sinusitis

Taking decongestants and mucolytics orally may be helpful in assisting drainage of sinus infection.

The treatment of chronic forms of sinus infection requires longer courses of medications, such as Augmentin, and may require a sinus drainage procedure. This drainage typically requires a surgical operation to open the blocked sinus under general anesthesia. In general, antihistamines should be avoided unless it is felt that the sinusitis sinus infection is due to allergies, such as pollens, dander, or other environmental causes.

It is likely that the use of a topical nasal steroid spray will help reduce swelling in the allergic individual without the drying that is caused by using antihistamines although both are occasionally used. Oral steroids may be prescribed to reduce acute inflammation and to help with chronic inflammation in cases with or without polyps and in allergic fungal sinusitis.

In many people, allergic sinusitis develops first, and later, bacterial infection occurs. For these individuals, early treatment of allergic sinusitis may prevent the development of secondary bacterial sinusitis.

In rare instances or in natural disasters, fungal infections may develop in debilitated people. Death rates of 50%-85% have been reported for patients with these sinus infections. Treatment relies on early diagnosis followed by immediate surgical debridement, antifungal drugs, , and stabilizing any underlying health problem such as diabetes.

Is A Sinus Infection Contagious

How Will I Know if I Have a Sinus Infection?

The majority of doctors think that most people do not transmit sinus infections except in rare instances, and conclude that sinus infections are not contagious.

Sinus infections usually begin with the symptoms of a cold , and then develop into pain and pressure in the sinus cavities. About 7 to 10 days after initial cold-like symptoms other symptoms develop that suggest you may have a sinus infection. Sinus infection symptoms include

• a yellowish-greenish nasal discharge that may have an odor,
• pressure in the sinuses, and

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What Are The Most Common Antibiotics Used For Sinusitis

Amoxicillin remains the drug of choice for acute, uncomplicated bacterial sinusitis. Amoxicillin is most effective when given frequently enough to sustain adequate levels in the infected tissue. While often prescribed twice daily, it is even more effective if taken in 3 or 4 divided doses. Amoxicillin is typically prescribed for 7-10 days at a time. While it is critical to finish the entire 10 day course of antibiotics when treating strep throat, there is evidence that shorter courses of treatment may be sufficient for most cases of sinusitis. Amoxicillin is closely related to the parent compound penicillin and should not be prescribed in patients who are penicillin allergic.

Cephalosporins and Augmentin are considered broad-spectrum antibiotics because they have enhanced effectiveness against a wider range of bacteria, including those that are resistant to ordinary penicillin or amoxicillin. If the patient does not improve within the first week on amoxicillin, a change to Augmentin or to a cephalosporin such as Ceftin, Cefzil, Omnicef, or Suprax is reasonable. Although these drugs have a similar mechanism of action to penicillin, they generally can be taken in adequate doses once or twice daily. These medications should be used with extreme caution in patients with a history of penicillin allergy, as cross-reaction may occur.

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How Do You Treat Chronic Sinusitis

Whether it is seasonal allergies that return every year like clockwork, or naturally small nasal passages that do not drain readily, some people find that chronic sinusitis is a part of life. In these cases, proactive treatment with decongestants and antihistamines can help to stave off the sinus congestion that can give rise to an infection.

Changes to your home environment such as eliminating dust and mold where possible and using a humidifier can all help provide relief as well. Many people who have recurring or chronic sinusitis also make use of steam therapy or neti pots to keep their sinus passages hydrated when symptoms begin. In extreme cases, having a doctor who knows your symptoms and knows when to give prescription medications may be necessary.

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What Is Chronic Sinus Infection

Chronic sinusitis is a long-standing inflammation of your sinuses that lasts for 12 weeks or longer at a time. Sinusitis is also known as rhinosinusitis . So, we use the two terms interchangeably. When inflamed, nasal passages and sinuses become swollen and blocked. Chronic sinusitis interferes with the normal drainage of the mucus. Too much mucus builds up in your nose and sinuses, making them stuffy.

What Is Sinus Infection

Medically known as rhinosinusitis, Sinus infection or Sinusitis is an inflammation or swelling of the tissue lining the sinuses. Healthy sinuses are filled with air. But when they become blocked and filled with fluid, germs can grow and cause an infection. It occurs when your nasal cavities become infected, swollen, and inflamed. Sinusitis is usually caused by a virus and often persists even after other upper respiratory symptoms are gone. In some cases, bacteria, or rarely fungus, may cause a sinus infection.

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How To Get Rid Of A Bacterial Infection Without Antibiotics

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Bacterial infection can indeed be haunting. From severe coughing fits running nose and sore throat, bacterial infection manifests and spreads in some different ways. But instead of wasting time and money upon doctors and chemical antibiotics, try switching over to some incredible natural cures and remedies that will treat the bacterial infection, inhibit the germs and restore your health in no time. No need to stress out on how to get rid of a bacterial infection without antibiotics as bacterial infection treatment without antibiotics is now a guaranteed possibility with the scientifically proven natural cures of infection.

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What Are Complications Of A Sinus Infection Or Sinusitis

While serious complications do not occur frequently, it is possible for a sinus infection to cause a direct extension of infection into the brain through a sinus wall, creating a life-threatening emergency .

In addition, other adjacent structures can become infected and develop problems, such as osteomyelitis of bones in the skull and infection around the eye . Rarely, these infections may cause death. The most susceptible individuals to complications are patients with suppressed immune systems, diabetes, and relatively rarely from multiple trauma injuries that may occur in natural disasters.

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Sinusitis Wont Go Away Consider Balloon Sinuplasty

Whether this is your first bout with sinusitis that wont go away or you experience sinus infections on a regular basis, you should know that getting rid of sinusitis is well within reach.

At Sinus Solutions of South Florida, Dr. Napoleon G. Bequer has provided hundreds of patients with relief from chronic sinusitis using the balloon sinuplasty procedure. So if you have sinusitis that wont go away, contact us online, call us at 561-790-7744, or take our sinus quiz today to see if youre a viable candidate for balloon sinuplasty.

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