Should I Go To The Doctor For Sinus Infection

Otolaryngologist In Austin Tx

Sinus infections are common and can happen to anyone, anywhere. Rest, home remedies, and over-the-counter medications should be enough to treat you, and your symptoms should be gone in a few days. However, if you exhibit symptoms for more than ten days, you should visit an otolaryngologist. They can help by educating you about sinus infections and what you can do to avoid having sinus infections. They can also diagnose other conditions which may be causing your recurrent sinus infections.

You can find certified and highly experienced otolaryngologists here at the Nasal & Sinus Center of Austin. We treat chronic allergies and sinusitis to help people breathe freely and live better. To schedule an appointment in any of our locations, please fill out our online form. For more queries about our services, please call our main office in Austin at 648-8499. Our staff and doctors are always ready to improve your breathing.

Sinus Infection Home Remedies And Prevention

Along with treatment, specific home remedies can help you improve faster and keep the symptoms at a tolerable level for the duration that the sinus infection exists. Also, you can even give yourself a better chance to prevent obtaining an acute sinus infection altogether with proper lifestyle changes in place.

For home remedies, rest and eating healthy is the best way to recover promptly. When the body is fighting off a sinus infection, or any infection for that matter, it needs proper rest and nutrients to do so. With that said, there are several quick, easy things to do while you rest, such as:

• Stay hydrated
• Clean out your nasal passageway
• Elevate your head while sleeping
• Place a humidifier in your home
• Take hot showers

Ultimately, it comes down to the focus on relieving the pressure built up in your sinuses. The best way to do that is to keep your nasal passageway from getting clogged. Using a warm compress, placing a humidifier in your home and elevating your head while resting is all excellent tactic to implement to keep the nasal passageway clear and breathing easily.

So how do you prevent a sinus infection from occurring in the first place? While it is not always possible to avoid, there are precautions you can take to help minimize your risk, including:

• Receiving a flu shot
• Keeping your distance from others who are sick
• Planning for an allergy attack
• Practice good hygiene

Check If You Have Sinusitis

Sinusitis is common after a cold or flu.

Symptoms of sinusitis include:

• pain, swelling and tenderness around your cheeks, eyes or forehead
• a blocked nose
• a reduced sense of smell
• green or yellow mucus from your nose
• a sinus headache
• toothache
• bad breath

Signs of sinusitis in young children may also include irritability, difficulty feeding, and breathing through their mouth.

The sinuses are small, empty spaces behind your cheekbones and forehead that connect to the inside of the nose.

Sinusitis causes the lining of the sinuses to swell up.

This stops mucus draining into your nose and throat properly, making you feel blocked up.

You May Like: Antibiotics For Ingrown Hair Infection

Treating A Sinus Infection

Sinus infections are different from colds because they are caused by bacteria growing in blocked sinuses. Because of this, they may improve with antibiotics. Depending on your situation, your doctor may prescribe medication, such as antibiotics, or other drugs that can help relieve your pain and lessen the swelling in your sinuses.

If you feel you may have a sinus infection that is worsening, visit your urgent care clinic or primary care physician as soon as possible. You could receive treatment to help you recover faster.

Favorite Resources For Finding A Specialist

Through research, education, and advocacy, the American Rhinologic Society is devoted to serving patients with nose, sinus, and skull base disorders. Their website provides a valuable search tool to find a doctor, as well as links to other medical societies and resources that are useful for patients.

Recommended Reading: Oregano Oil For Tooth Infection

What Can I Take For A Sinus Infection

For most people, sinusitis should improve on its own over the course of 2 or 3 weeks. To help manage the symptoms of a sinus infection while you are recovering, you can:

• use a salt solution to clear out your nose
• apply a warm pack to the face to help relieve pain and decongest your sinuses

A doctor may advise taking painkillers, such as paracetamol, or another medication, like a nasal spray, to help relieve your symptoms. Speak to a pharmacist or doctor for further guidance before taking any medication.

You should also see a doctor if your sinus infection persists or starts to get worse despite taking these steps. They may recommend steroid nasal sprays or solutions to help with the swelling in your sinuses.

They may prescribe antihistamines if your symptoms are caused by an allergy or antibiotics if they suspect you have a sinus infection caused by bacteria.

Research And Statistics: Who Gets Sinus Infections

Each year, acute sinusitis affects about 31 million Americans, who spend a whopping $1 billion on over-the-counter medications and $150 million on prescription medications to treat the illness, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.

Epidemiologic studies suggest 5 to 12 percent of people have chronic sinus infections. However, research published in December 2018 in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology suggests this may be an overestimation due to misdiagnosis. According to the study, which relied on imaging tests for diagnosis , about 3.0 to 6.4 percent of people may have chronic sinus infections. 32786-6/fulltext” rel=”nofollow”> 5)

You May Like: Can Ear Infections Heal On Their Own

Sinus Infections: When To See A Doctor

Winter season is approaching as so does common respiratory illnesses, like sinus infections. Sinusitis annually affects about 35 million American citizens. This medical condition is primarily symptomatic of nose congestion, which creates constant pain and discomfort while attempting to breathe. Depending on the type of infection, sinusitis can either clear up on its own or require medical attention.

How Do You Treat It

Its smarter to go to a doctor to treat your sinus infection. You can choose to treat it yourself and improve your body to fight against the infection. Start by avoiding anything that irritates your nose and eyes.

Make sure you wash your hand frequently to keep your sinuses from getting infected and irritated by viruses. Relieve your breathing by adding a humidifier to moisturize the room air. Try using nasal spray decongestants as these will keep your sinuses moist and prevent any swelling present in the passages.

You May Like: What Otc Medicine Is Best For Yeast Infections

Is It Covid Or A Sinus Infection

The COVID pandemic has killed more than one million people around the globe. With the fall ushering in traditional influenza season, medical professionals express concern that the outbreaks will continue for the foreseeable future. Protecting yourself is of the utmost importance. One way to do this is to understand the differences between COVID-19 and the common sinus infection.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , the symptoms for COVID-19 appear two to 14-days after youve been exposed to the virus. The symptoms could be mild or severe depending on factors that were still trying to understand. They may include:

• Body aches

• Postnasal drip
• Tooth pain

Craig P. Chase, M.D., a partner of Oviedo Medical Research, says, For sinus infections versus COVID-19, sinus infections are usually something that youve had for a while. It could start with allergies, it could start with a cold, and then kind of evolve into a sinus infection.

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.

Related Resources:

Recommended Reading: Best Antibiotic For Severe Sinus Infection

When You Should See A Doctors For A Sinus Infection

When is it time to visit the doctor? Any time youre having problems with your sinuses that are affecting your day-to-day life. We want to create an individual treatment plan to provide reliefparticularly if medication isnt making the situation much better.

A visit to the doctor is particularly important if:

• You have chronic sinus problems throughout the year.

• Your sinus issues keep you from doing the things that you enjoy.

• You develop frequent sinus infections that require antibiotic treatment.

• Youve found that over-the-counter medication doesnt relieve your symptoms.

What is the difference between a chronic and an acute sinus infection?

While the signs and symptoms of both chronic and acute sinusitis are very similar, chronic sinus infections last for at least 12 weeks.

During chronic sinusitis, the nasal passages remain swollen and inflamed despite several treatment attempts or use of over-the-counter medication. Acute sinusitis is a temporary infection that is most likely associated with a cold or virus.

If you have a chronic sinus infection, its time to schedule an appointment with one of our internal medicine physicians.

Rare Cases Can Turn Serious

Antibiotics also can help ward off rare but potentially dangerous complications that arise when a sinus infection spreads to the eyes or brain, Dr. Sindwani says.

Complications around the eyes are the more common of the two. These complications can cause redness, swelling around the eyes and reduced vision, and even lead to blindness in a severe form known as cavernous sinus thrombosis. Serious cases are immediately treated with IV antibiotics. Patients are usually admitted to the hospital for a CT scan to see if fluid needs to be drained, Dr. Sindwani says.

Also in rare cases, sinus infections in the rear center of ones head can spread into the brain. This can lead to life-threatening conditions like meningitis or brain abscess, Dr. Sindwani says.

Before antibiotics, people would die from sinusitis, he says. But he emphasizes that such complications are unlikely. In most cases, the bacterial infection goes away, especially if you dont have underlying medical problems.

Its important to monitor your symptoms if you suspect a sinus infection. If the condition lingers or worsens, call your doctor.

You May Like: Get Rid Of Bladder Infection Fast

Are Sinus Infections Contagious

If your sinus infection develops from a viral infection like the cold or flu, you may be contagious to others.

You will not be able to pass on the sinus infection itself, but rather the virus that caused it. Another person may develop a sinus infection from this virus later on, but this does not always happen.

Sinus issues caused by allergies are not contagious.

How Can You Tell If You Have A Sinus Infection

Sinusitis symptoms vary from patient to patient, and may change over time. In other words, the early signs of a sinus infection you may experience might differ significantly from your neighbors and may change or worsen if your sinus infection goes untreated.

Though it has similar symptoms to the common cold, chronic sinusitis lasts a lot longer. Its also important to note that untreated sinusitis symptoms can lead to further complications, so be sure to monitor your help and call a doctor if you are not getting better.

Don’t Miss: Best Medication For Kidney Infection

But Sometimes Antibiotics For Sinus Infections Are Needed

So how does one judge when it is appropriate to prescribe antibiotics for a sinus infection? There are several sets of official guidelines, which are all similar. When a patient has thick, colorful nasal discharge and/or facial pressure or pain for at least 10 days, they meet criteria for antibiotic treatment. If a patient has had those symptoms, but the symptoms seemed to start improving and then got worse again, then even if its been less than 10 days, they meet criteria for antibiotic treatment.

The authors, however, also suggest that doctors discuss watchful waiting with patients and explain that most sinus infections clear up on their own in one to two weeks, and its a safe option to hold off on antibiotics. The symptoms can then be treated with a cocktail of over-the-counter medications and supportive care, like nasal saline irrigation, nasal steroid sprays, decongestants, and pain medications.

Of course, many patients expect and demand antibiotics for sinus infections, and even those who are open to watchful waiting may hear about the rare but possible complications of things like, oh, brain abscess, and opt to treat.

In the case of my patient above, she met criteria for treatment. She weighed the watchful waiting option against the potential risks of antibiotics for her sinus infection, and chose the prescription. I can tell you from very close follow-up that she improved quickly, though in truth, we will never really know if she would have gotten better anyway.

What Causes A Sinus Infection

Sinus infections are more common in people who suffer from seasonal allergies or asthma. If you have a structural blockage in the nose, such as a deviated septum or nasal polyps, you may have more frequent sinus infections. If you have a weakened immune system, you may be more prone to infections of all kinds, including sinusitis.

While the common cold and flu are caused by the influenza virus, and COVID-19 is caused by the coronavirus, a sinus infection can stem from a viral or bacterial infection. Either way, its a painful condition that can make you feel lousy for weeks.

Sinusitis is an inflammation of the sinuses, those air-filled pockets that exist in your face:

• Behind the bridge of your nose
• Directly in front of your brain
• In the bony structures of your cheeks
• On both sides of the bridge of your nose

Normally, your sinuses are lined with a light layer of mucus that trap germs, dust, and other particles that we breathe. There are tiny hairs in your nose that sweep whatever is captured into the back of your throat and into your stomach. This is a normal cyclic procedure that happens without your awareness. That is, until something goes wrong with the process.

A sinus infection inflames the lining of the sinuses and blocks the flow of mucus to the back of the throat. The swelling stops up this efficient elimination system leading potentially to an infection.

Also Check: Oral Antibiotics For Dental Infection

Can A Sinus Infection Last For Months

Sinusitis wont go away at the drop of a hat. It tends to linger and, if left untreated, it can last for months. Again, its best to take a trip to your doctors office if your symptoms last longer than one week.

Note that there is a chance that long-term sinus issues may be caused by allergens. If this is the case, then your sinus symptoms will likely last until you can escape the allergen or have the allergies treated.

Sinus Infection Treatment At Home

It isnt possible for you to tell at home if sinusitis is caused by a bacteria, virus or fungus, but there are some steps you can take to help relieve sinus infections symptoms. They include:

• Moisturizing the room air with a humidifier or vaporizer

• Increasing your fluid intake to ensure you are well hydrated

• Using saline sprays or nasal irrigations

• Using nasal spray decongestants for 2 or 3 days at the most

• Applying warm compresses to your face to help relieve pain and pressure

• Sleeping with your head elevated. If sleeping on a pile of pillows isnt comfortable, place blocks under the two legs at the head of your bed to elevate it.

• Taking over-the-counter pain relievers, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen

Don’t Miss: What If A Yeast Infection Goes Untreated

When To Go To The Doctor For A Sinus Infection

Sinusitis belongs to upper respiratory tract infections. It is one of the commonest and a relatively troublesome condition one can have. Yet, it is also one of those infections which patients often attempt to treat at home.

So before you understand when to go to the doctor for a sinus infection, it would be worthwhile to go through a few basic facts about sinuses their infections and how to recognize which sinus is infected.

How Is A Sinus Infection Diagnosed And Treated

Your doctor will give you a physical exam and take your medical history. You might get a CT scan of your sinuses.

Your doctor may prescribe medication. They may recommend antibiotics if your symptoms go on for more than 10 days. , antihistamines, and other drugs help lessen the swelling in your sinuses and nasal passages.

Steam and hot showers can help you loosen mucus. Your doctor may also suggest nasal saline to wash mucus from your nose.

In rare cases, when a sinus infection doesn’t go away, long-term antibiotics or surgery may be needed.

Recommended Reading: How To Unclog Ears With Sinus Infection

Home Remedies For Sinus Infection:

Uncomplicated acute sinus infection can be treated at home. Or home remedies can also be used along with conventional medical therapy.

Rest Take adequate rest as your body is already working enough to fight infection. Another reason to get good rest is so that you dont spread the infection at your workplace, school or institution.

Water Drink plenty to water to not just stay hydrated but water also helps to flush out toxins from the body making recovery easier.

Steam Inhaling steam decongests your air passages allowing the sinuses to drain easily.

Essential Oil Menthol is a well-known essential oil for blocked sinuses. It can be used along with steam to inhale.

Kitchen Herbs Our kitchen itself can provide the best of natural remedies to fight infections. You can use natural anti-infective and anti-inflammatory herbs like turmeric, ginger, and garlic.