Does Keflex Treat Sinus Infection

Treatments For Sinus Infections Other Than Antibiotics

#1: Saline Nasal Wash

Saline nasal wash can be a great way to thin out the mucous in the sinuses enough to clear out the blockage. I recommend starting this early on in the course of the illness to prevent the infection from worsening.

You can even make this at home using 2 cups of water and a 1/2 teaspoon of salt. I would add a 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of baking soda to prevent burning that can occur with use. There are also plenty of over the counter saline nasal sprays that you can purchase. You can use this 4-6 times per day.

#2: Vaporizer

Vaporizers are great because they can also thin out the mucous and make you feel a lot better. An easy home remedy, steam is probably the best way to use this treatment. Beware if you are an asthmatic as the steam could cause worsening of the asthma symptoms.

#3: Steroid Nasal Spray

Steroid nasal sprays such as Flonase have been my go to remedy recently and the great news is that they are now over the counter. The general recommendation is to use 1-2 sprays per nostril daily.

But I have found great relief using 2 sprays in each nostril twice daily. At these higher doses it is important to remember that you should use this short term, no more than 5-7 days.

These medications can significantly reduce inflammation allowing the congestion blockage to clear and significantly alleviate symptoms.

#4: Decongestants

#5: Guaifenesin

Guaifenesin such as Mucinex can certainly break up the mucous, allowing the congestion to clear more quickly.

What Is Keflex And What Is It Used For

Cephalexin belongs to a class of antibiotics called cephalosporins. They are similar to penicillin in action and side effects. They stop or slow the growth of bacterial cells by preventing bacteria from forming the cell wall that surrounds each cell. The cell wall protects bacteria from the external environment and keeps the contents of the cell together, and without a cell wall, bacteria are not able to survive. Bacteria that are susceptible to cephalexin include Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, E. coli and several others. Cephalexin was approved by the FDA in January 1971.

Cephalexin is used to treat infections caused by bacteria that are susceptible to the effects of cephalexin. Common infections that cephalexin is used for include:

When Do I Really Need Antibiotics For A Sinus Infection

When do I really need antibiotics for a sinus infection? is a question many patients have when suffering from bothersome sinus and allergy problems. While sinus infections can be quite painful, antibiotics often do not help in treating the condition.

Sinus infections affect approximately 37 million people in the U.S. each year and can be caused by:

• Viruses
• Nasal polyps or deviated septum causing nasal obstruction
• Irritants/pollutants

The majority of sinus infections are viral in nature, and antibiotics do not cure viral infections. Taking antibiotics for viral infections also will not:

• Keep you from being contagious to others
• Relieve symptoms or make you feel better

In order to distinguish a bacterial sinus infection from an infection caused by a virus or other contributing factor, your doctor will observe your symptoms and possibly conduct other tests, such as a CT scan or cultures.

Antibiotics are only effective on bacterial infections, and even in cases involving bacteria, the body can often cure itself of mild or moderate infections within a few days.

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People With Sinus Infections Stay On Antibiotics Too Long

By Lisa Rapaport, Reuters Health

5 Min Read

– Most people prescribed antibiotics for sinus infections are on treatment courses of 10 days or longer even though infectious disease doctors recommend five to seven days for uncomplicated cases, a U.S. study suggests.

Researchers examined data from a sample representing an estimated 3.7 million adults treated for sinusitis and prescribed antibiotics in 2016. Overall, 70 percent of antibiotics prescribed were for 10 days or longer, the study found.

Any time antibiotics are used, they can cause side effects and lead to antibiotic resistance, said senior study author Dr. Katherine Fleming-Dutra, deputy director of the Office of Antibiotic Stewardship at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

This is why it is so important to only use antibiotics when they are needed and to use the right antibiotic for the minimum effective duration, Fleming-Dutra said by email.

Common side effects of antibiotics can include rash, dizziness, nausea, diarrhea and yeast infections, she said. More serious side effects may include life-threatening allergic reactions and Clostridium difficile infection, which causes diarrhea that can lead to severe colon damage and death.

Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria develop the ability to defeat the drugs designed to kill them and can make infections harder to treat.

SOURCE: bit.ly/2Gpq29Z JAMA Internal Medicine, online March 26, 2018.

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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Cephalexin For Sinus Infection

A large number of drugs have been used in clinical trials for the treatment of sinusitis. Unfortunately, the majority of these drugs have shown no significant results.

Sinusitis is generally caused by bacterial and viral infections and, therefore, should be treated well with antibiotics and anti-viral drugs.

This has shown to be contrary on clinical grounds. However, Cephalexin which is an antibiotic drug has shown some desirable results in the recent past.

Does Keflex Treat Upper Respiratory Tract Infection

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Drug Interactions Of Cephalexin Vs Amoxicillin

Cephalexin may increase the serum concentrations of the common antidiabetic agent metformin. Most courses of cephalexin are a short duration, so the drugs may be used concurrently as long as the patient is monitored.

Amoxicillin may interfere with the serum concentrations of important immunosuppressants. Serum concentrations of methotrexate have been shown to be increased with concurrent use with amoxicillin, while mycophenolate concentrations may be decreased. These immunosuppressant drugs are used in patients with serious conditions, and therefore patients who require the use of amoxicillin while on these drugs should be monitored closely.

Probenecid, when given with cephalexin or amoxicillin, may increase the serum concentrations of either antibiotic. While the use of both at the same time is not contraindicated, patients should be monitored.

Dosage Of Cephalexin For Sinus Infection

The dosage of cephalexin recommended will rely on upon the sort and seriousness of contamination and whether the individual taking it is a child or a grown-up.

Here are general rules for cephalexin dosage:

• The normal grown-up dosage ranges from 1 to 4 grams a day, given in partitioned dosages.
• Typical grown-up dosage of cephalexin are 250 mg at regular intervals, or 500 mg like clockwork.
• The normal dosage for a youngster is 25 to 50 milligrams per kilogram of weight, given in isolated dosages.
• Keflex containers come in 250, 333, 500, and 750 mg alternatives.

Dosage might be multiplied for more extreme contaminations. Contingent upon the kind of disease, treatment may last from 7 to 14 days. In the event that expansive dosages of cephalexin are required, another kind of cephalosporin that can be given by infusion or an intravenous imbuement might be utilized.

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Will My Sinus Infection Clear Up On Its Own

The first few weeks of the common cold arent fun, but the acute sinusitis that can pop up afterwards doesnt help either. Sinus congestion and the common cold, unfortunately, go hand in hand. Acute sinusitis frequently is caused by the common cold, but also can be caused by allergies and bacterial and fungal infections.

Sinus infections are caused when the cavities around your nasal passages become inflamed and swollen, which eventually interferes with drainage and causes mucus to build up. This tends to get annoying, because it makes breathing through the nose difficult. It also affects the area around your eyes and face, and can cause a throbbing headache.

When a sinus infection hits, its always 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 arent recommended within the first week of developing a cold. About 70 percent of sinus infections go away within two weeks without antibiotics.

Consider these other forms of treatments instead of antibiotics:

• 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. They can help to prevent and treat inflammation.

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

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How Should I Take Keflex

Take Keflex exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow all directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets.

Do not use Keflex to treat any condition that has not been checked by your doctor.

Use this medicine for the full prescribed length of time, even if your symptoms quickly improve. Skipping doses can increase your risk of infection that is resistant to medication. Cephalexin will not treat a viral infection such as the flu or a common cold.

Do not share Keflex with another person, even if they have the same symptoms you have.

This medicine can affect the results of certain medical tests. Tell any doctor who treats you that you are using this medicine.

Store the tablets and capsules at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light.

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Is Cephalexin Or Amoxicillin More Effective

The effectiveness of cephalexin or amoxicillin will vary with each bacteria type and each patient. With any sensitive bacteria, each drug may be effective so long as it is dosed appropriately at the correct intervals. The effectiveness of beta-lactam antibiotics are dependent upon the amount of time that free, non-protein bound drug is above the minimum inhibitory concentration of the bacteria.

Another factor in antibiotic therapy is antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria changes in response to an exposure to an antibiotic. The change is adaptive to allow it to survive in spite of the antibiotic. In the case of beta-lactam antibiotics, the bacteria produce beta-lactamase enzymes,` which render the antibiotic ineffective. Repeated or overuse of antibiotics, as well as suboptimal dosing, may contribute to antibiotic resistance.

One study sought to compare the symptomatic relapse in pediatric patients with streptococcal tonsillopharyngitis. This was done by comparing return visits and symptomatic complaints following each type of treatment. The study compared four treatment groups including amoxicillin and first-generation cephalosporins, including cephalexin. The study found that the incidence of symptomatic relapse was higher in the amoxicillin group than in the first-generation cephalosporin group.

Only your doctor can determine which treatment is appropriate for your bacterial infection.

Side Effects Of Cephalexin

ohlamour studio / Stocksy

According to Black, the antibiotic is usually well-tolerated, but it should be avoided in patients with allergies to cephalosporins. Baxt adds that there can be cross-reactivity to cephalosporins and sometimes penicillin, so anyone who is allergic to those should reconsider using cephalexin as a treatment.

Adds Ali, the risks or side effects of using an antibiotic, such as cephalexin, include allergic reactions, rash, nausea, and diarrhea. But perhaps the most concerning side effect of using an antibiotic to treat acne is antibiotic resistance and therefore definitely a reason to approach with some caution. “Propionobacterium acnes, the bacterium responsible for acne flares, has exhibited a large rise in antibiotic resistance over the past few decades with use of antibiotics, in general,” Dhingra explains. The other concern is that prolonged cephalexin courses can introduce the risk of resistance for other bugs like Staph bacteria, making treatment of other conditions with cephalexin more difficult, he notes.

To sum it up: before taking cephalexin, make sure you are not allergic to it, be aware of the potential side effects, and notify your doctor of any unusual reactions.

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Other Uses For This Medicine

Cephalexin is also sometimes used for certain penicillin allergic patients who have a heart condition and are having a dental or upper respiratory tract procedure, in order to prevent them from developing a heart valve infection.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Ways To Recognize Serious Signs Of Sinus Infections

#1: Duration

The length of the infection is an important determinant of the seriousness of the infection.

I usually consider most infections less than 3 weeks to be viral or inflammation related to congestion. At this point, the best treatment is usually medications that decrease the congestion and inflammation. This in turn will alleviate the symptoms and ultimately cure the illness.

When the illness continues beyond 3 weeks, bacterial infection can begin to develop. Though antibiotics can be considered at this point, other treatments may still be the best answer if they have not yet been given a try.

#2: Mucous Color

I will dispel a myth right here and now. Yellowish/greenish mucous does not necessarily mean the infection is bacterial.

Viruses can cause the same color mucous. The reason for the mucous is generally not the actual bacteria or virus, but the bodys immune response to the intruder.

So dont worry just because you see a colored mucous when you blow your nose. This will also improve as the infection abates.

#3: Sinus Pain

Sinus pain can occur anytime throughout a sinus infection. This is normal and means there is inflammation in the sinuses, as we discussed previously.

However, severe pain, redness over the skin, hardened skin over the sinuses, or even a severe headache are not generally normal and can indicate a bacterial infection.

#4: Fever

A fever can be caused by both viruses and bacteria. So how do you differentiate between the two?

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Cephalexin For Uti: How Soon Itll Work

It should work pretty quickly.

I felt almost immediate relief when taking Cephalexin for my UTI symptoms.

• Within an hour of taking the first pill, the pain with urination subsided.
• In a few hours, I no longer had blood in my urine.

Important: just because your symptoms are gone, dont stop taking the Cephalexin early. While it may have killed enough bacteria to stop your symptoms, you run the risk of growing bacteria that can survive Cephalexin, or in other words drug-resistant bacteria.

Killer Sinus Infection How To Tell If Yours Is Viral Or Bacterial

You know the symptoms: nasal congestion, facial pressure, pain, fever, too much mucus. Ugh. Its probably another sinus infection.

But is your infection caused by a virus or bacteria and does it really matter?

It does matter. Doctors treat viral and bacterial sinus infections differently. Here is what you need to know about both kinds of infection and how to treat them.

Viral or bacterial?

Most sinus infections are viral, and most are caused by the virus that causes the common cold. How can you tell, based on symptoms, whether your infection is viral or bacterial?

Normally, you can’t.

Symptoms like bad breath, yellow or green mucus, fever and headache are not reliable signs of a bacterial infection. They can be present with viral infections, too. Even your doctor cant tell if your infection is viral or bacterial based solely on symptoms or an exam.

Instead, your doctor looks at symptom duration to determine the source of your infection. A viral sinus infection will usually start to improve after five to seven days. A bacterial sinus infection will often persist for seven to 10 days or longer, and may actually worsen after seven days.

4 steps you can take

Whether your sinus infection turns out to be viral or bacterial, you can help to ease your symptoms early on with supportive care:

What to do for chronic sinusitis

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What Should I Know About Storage And Disposal Of This Medication

Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store the capsules and tablets at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture . Keep liquid medicine in the refrigerator, tightly closed, and dispose of any unused medication after 14 days. .

Unneeded medications should be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children, and other people cannot consume them. However, you should not flush this medication down the toilet. Instead, the best way to dispose of your medication is through a medicine take-back program. Talk to your pharmacist or contact your local garbage/recycling department to learn about take-back programs in your community. See the FDA’s Safe Disposal of Medicines website for more information if you do not have access to a take-back program.

It is important to keep all medication out of sight and reach of children as many containers are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily. To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in a safe location â one that is up and away and out of their sight and reach.