How Is Sinusitis Treated
Doctors may prescribe oral antibiotics to treat sinusitis caused by bacteria. Some doctors may recommend decongestants and antihistamines to help ease symptoms.
Sinusitis caused by a virus usually goes away without medical treatment. Acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and/or warm compresses can help reduce any pain. Over-the-counter saline solution is safe and helps wash the nose and relieve many symptoms caused by allergies, viruses, and bacteria.
How A Pharmacist Can Help With Sinusitis
A pharmacist can advise you about medicines that can help, such as:
- salt water nasal sprays or solutions to rinse out the inside of your nose
You can buy nasal sprays without a prescription, but decongestant nasal sprays should not be used for more than a week.
Some decongestant tablets also contain paracetamol or ibuprofen. Be careful when taking painkillers and a decongestant. Do not take more than the recommended dose.
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Treatment Options For Sinusitis
The best way to treat a sinus infection will depend on what caused the infection in the first place.
Sinus infections caused by viral or bacterial infections typically go away on their own without needing medical intervention. But those caused by nasal polyps or structural problems like deviated septum may require surgery.
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How To Treat A Sinus Infection At Home
Many sinus infections go away on their own. You can try some of these treatments at home to help you manage your symptoms and feel more comfortable.
- Press a warm, moist towel to your face for 5-10 minutes every day. This can help reduce swelling and pain.
- Drink lots of water and other fluids. This can help thin your mucus and reduce congestion.
- Breathe in warm, humid air. Using a humidifier helps, or you can take a hot shower or bath.
- Try clearing your nasal passages with a saline solution . A saline wash helps clear your nasal packages and reduces congestion. You can buy saline drops at your local pharmacy or make your own saline solution at home.
- Over-the-counter pain medicine like Tylenol and Advil can help reduce pain and manage other symptoms, like a fever or headaches.
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Runny Nose And Postnasal Drip
When you have a sinus infection, you may need to blow your nose often because of nasal discharge, which can be cloudy, green, or yellow. This discharge comes from your infected sinuses and drains into your nasal passages.
The discharge may also bypass your nose and drain down the back of your throat. You may feel a tickle, an itch, or even a sore throat.
This is called postnasal drip, and it may cause you to cough at night when youre lying down to sleep, and in the morning after getting up. It may also cause your voice to sound hoarse.
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The Difference In How Sinus Infections Allergies Colds The Flu And Covid Are Treated
There are preventative vaccines and shots available for these illnesses including a flu shot, allergy shots, and the COVID vaccine that help prevent serious illness and reduce the risk of infecting others.
Sinus Infection: Most sinus infection symptoms will disappear after 10 days and there are natural ways to relieve sinus congestion like flushing your sinuses or using a humidifier. If symptoms persist for more than 10 days, then a doctor may prescribe antibiotics.
Allergies: Avoiding allergy triggers like pollen can help to minimize allergy symptoms. If its not possible to avoid triggers fully, then there are several over-the-counter options you can try after consulting your doctor. Allergy shots are also another option to discuss with your doctor.
Cold: Theres no simple cure for the common cold, but there are natural remedies and over-the-counter medication that can help get rid of a cold quicker and relieve symptoms.
Flu: There are natural remedies for curing the flu like simply getting rest and enough fluids while youre sick, but there are also antiviral drugs to help recover quickly and avoid complications. The CDC suggests reaching out to your doctor about these medications especially if you are at higher risk for flu complications.
What Is A Sinus Infection
A sinus infection, medically known as sinusitis or rhinosinusitis, occurs when your nasal cavities become infected, swollen, and inflamed. Fluid buildup in the sinuses can cause germs to grow, leading to a sinus infection.
Sinusitis is usually caused by a virus and often lasts even after other upper respiratory symptoms are gone. In some cases, bacteria or, rarely, fungus may cause a sinus infection.
Other conditions such as allergies, nasal polyps, and tooth infections can also contribute to sinus pain and symptoms.
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What Is Sinus Infection
As the name suggests, sinus infection is infection of air-filled cavities in the skull called sinuses. The infection causes inflammation, which is starting point for other problems to occur.
There are several types of sinuses. The name of each type is named according to where its located.
These air-filled cavities are lined with mucus membranes. Mucus is produced to help protect your nasal passages and sinuses. It will naturally drain into the nose.
The inflammation of sinus can cause obstruction and prevent your mucus from draining as well as usual. As a result, there will be more buildups of mucus in your sinus cavity and this can worsen the problem.
Based on how long it lasts, it is classified into two main categories acute and chronic. Acute means it lasts less than a month . Chronic means it can last more than 3 months .
In some cases, the problem may last about 4-12 weeks. For such cases, it is called sub-acute. Additionally, there is a condition called recurrent sinusitis. It refers to a condition of when you have several acute sinusitis in 1 year.
What is the cause? This can vary, but viral infection is often to blame. Many people have sinus infection after a common cold event, for example. The infection can also be caused by bacteria or fungus. Sometimes environmental irritants and allergens can be also the trigger.
Pay Close Attention To Symptoms To Determine If Cause Is Sinus Infection Or Allergies
Dear Mayo Clinic:
I have long suffered from allergies. But there have been times when I haven’t been sure if my symptoms are really from my allergies or may be caused by a sinus infection instead. How can I tell the difference?
Answer:
Allergies and sinus infections are often mistaken for one another. But they are two separate conditions. By paying close attention to the specific symptoms you have, you can usually identify which one is more likely to be causing the problem.
A sinus infection, also called sinusitis, affects the cavities around your nasal passages. The infection causes your sinuses to become inflamed and swollen. The swelling makes it hard for your sinuses to drain, and mucus builds up. You become congested and have trouble breathing through your nose. Sinusitis often causes thick yellow or green nasal discharge. A sore throat, cough or headache, as well as pressure or tenderness around your eyes, cheeks, nose or forehead, may also accompany sinusitis.
In most cases, viruses cause sinusitis. These viral infections usually go away on their own within a week to 10 days. Self-care measures such as extra rest and fluids along with over-the-counter pain relievers and decongestants can help. When sinusitis is caused by bacteria, the infection may not require treatment, either. But if it is persistent or severe, then antibiotics such as amoxicillin, doxycycline and others may be used to treat the infection.
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How Do I Know If My Sinus Infection Is Viral Or Bacterial
If your sinus infection lasts for about a week, it’s usually due to a virus. Bacterial sinus infections, on the other hand, can persist for some time. They usually last for 10 days or longer. While viral infections usually start to get better after a few days, bacterial infections tend to get worse over time.
Can I Prevent The Allergies That Lead To A Sinus Infection
While you cant fully prevent allergies, you may be able to avoid what is causing the allergic reaction. For example, if you have seasonal allergies and the pollen count is high, stay indoors and keep the windows shut and air conditioning on. Knowing what causes the allergic response, and then mapping out a strategy of medications and avoidance techniques is something that your doctor can help you with.
However, prevention is possible with sinus infections caused by bacteria or viruses. Its always a good idea to get plenty of rest and exercise regularly to keep your immune system functioning. Some of the other preventative techniques to head off a sinus infection are similar to what youd do to stave off colds and flu, including staying hydrated and taking vitamin C to boost your immunity. Frequent handwashing was always important well before the COVID-19 pandemic reminded us to improve our hygiene. You should also avoid nasal irritants like smoke or other pollution. Keeping the nose hydrated with a saline spray will help the sinuses work more effectively.
Despite your best efforts, if you are experiencing the symptoms of a sinus infection, its important to see your doctor to diagnose whats going on and help you get better fast.
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Some 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 sinus care:
If your symptoms arent improving after one week, its important to see your doctor. If a bacterial infection is suspected, youll probably need to take an antibiotic to clear up the infection and prevent further complications.
If your infections occur more frequently, and your doctor really wants to establish if they are bacterial or viral, your Otolaryngologist or ear, nose and throat doctor can sample the snot from your nose when youre infected and send it to a laboratory to know for sure.
Note: Antibiotics wont help a viral infection, and taking an antibiotic unnecessarily can do more harm than good. You risk possible side effects and increase your chances of developing antibiotic resistance, which can make future infections harder to treat, says Dr. Sindwani. So its important to wait and see how long your symptoms last.
How To Treat Allergies Or Sinus Infection
Because treatments for both allergies and sinus infections revolve around lessening the effect of the same symptoms, recommendations can include:
- Saline nose sprays
If youre looking for a more permanent solution to allergy symptoms or sinus problems, balloon sinuplasty is a minimally invasive, pain-free procedure that can help decrease congestion, chronic infections, chronic coughs, headaches, and various other nasal problems.
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Should I Stay Home If I Have A Sinus Infection
Sinus infections can be viral or bacterial. Either way, it’s best to stay home, Wigmore says. Viral sinus infections are often contagious. If you have had symptoms longer than one week, or if you have severe facial pain, teeth/jaw pain, or fever, you may have a bacterial infection and should consult your doctor.
But Is It Still A Cold Flu Allergies Or Even Covid
Sinus infections do share symptoms with colds, the flu and COVID-19. The key thing to remember about sinusitis is that it usually doesnt happen without something taking place first. A sinus infection is caused by inflammation that plugs up your sinuses and causes a backup of fluid the kind of situation that can only really happen as the result of a cold, allergies or other similar condition.
So, if you do find yourself having symptoms of sinusitis but havent been sick with anything else recently, its worth it to see if youre tracking with other signs of a cold or the flu. You should also take a quick inventory to see if you have any early symptoms of COVID-19. If so, get tested and get treatment as soon as possible. With early detection, you can get the medications necessary to have the best chances of getting better faster.
If youve been sneezing with a stuffy or runny nose along with irritated, watery eyes and itchy ears all without a fever you might be dealing with seasonal allergies. If that sounds more like what you have, especially if theyre symptoms that only happen during certain times of the year, check in with your primary care doctor. They can help confirm if youre dealing with allergies, prescribe medications and connect you with an allergist.
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How Long Does Sinusitis Last
There are a few types of sinusitis, and doctors can classify them by how long they last. These classifications can include:
Acute sinus infections with a four-week duration or less
Subacute infections that last for roughly four to 12 weeks
Chronic conditions that fall over 12 weeks
Recurrent infections that recur many times throughout the year
Do You Sneeze A Lot With Sinus Infection
As your sinusitis symptoms persist, you may also experience an increase in fatigue and difficulties concentrating on anything but your breathing difficulties and sinus pain. If your sinusitis is triggered by allergies, you might experience persistent sneezing, itchy and watery eyes, and irritation in your throat.
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How Can An Ent Help With My Allergies Or Sinus Infection
An ENT specialist, or otolaryngologist, has special training in the diagnosis and treatment protocols for a variety of disorders of the head, neck and face. From simple sinusitis and allergies to surgical correction of physical deformities of the sinuses, voice disorders, or problems with the thyroidto name just a few of the conditions your otolaryngologist is trained to treat.
Allergies are a common problem, and, when they are chronic, they can lead to debilitating symptoms. An ENTs goal is to work on the allergies, get the symptoms under control, decrease the frequency of the flare ups, and get you feeling better.
If you experience any of these symptoms that last more than 10 days, its more than time to see your doctor:
- Balance or dizziness issues
- Hearing loss or stuffy ears
- Hoarseness or other voice issues
- Pain in your ears, face, or teeth
- Persistent sore throat
- Recurring adenoid, ear, or tonsil infections
- Tinnitus or ringing in the ears
- Trouble swallowing
Explaining The Autonomic Nervous System
The autonomic nervous system is part of the peripheral nervous system. It sends signals from your brain to various body parts that perform involuntary actions like breathing and regulating heart rate. Suppose something wrong happens to some of your autonomic nerves. What do you think will happen?
Naturally, this can result in several health problems associated with involuntary body processes. For example, according to a 2018 study, a malfunctioning ANS increases ones risk for lower airway diseases and disorders like asthma and sinus infections. The researchers explained that the ANS controls various mechanisms like nasal blood vessel dilation and mucosal layer thickening. As a result, you become more prone to health problems like a sinus infection.
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Why Do I Wake Up With A Sinus Headache Every Morning
Sinus headaches caused by inflamed sinuses often start in the morning and clear up on their own by the afternoon. These sometimes occur when there are drastic changes in temperature such as when the seasons shift. They frequently occur in the morning because while youâre sleeping mucus collects and drains.
I Use The Quadrupedal Position
If my facial pain or pressure is intense, I sometimes put my head towards the floor while on my hands and knees, Dr. Kamat says. This is whats called a quadrupedal position .
The position of the cheek sinus opening is high along the nasal wall and known to be poor for natural or passive drainage due to gravity, Dr. Kamat says. In this position, the opening is better able to drain, and has been shown to reduce the duration of a sinus infection.
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Allergies Vs Sinus Infection
Allergies can develop at any point in your life. While allergies tend to come up during childhood, its possible to develop allergies to new substances as an adult.
This type of reaction is caused by a negative response to a substance. Your immune system responds by releasing a chemical called histamine, which can then cause symptoms such as headache, sneezing, and congestion. Its also possible to feel foggy and develop a skin rash.
Severe allergies can lead to a cold-like condition called allergic rhinitis. With allergic rhinitis, you can have the above symptoms as well as itchy eyes. This itchiness is one of the key distinguishing factors between allergies and sinusitis.
A sinus infection, on the other hand, occurs when your nasal passages become inflamed. Sinusitis is most often caused by viruses. When the nasal cavity gets inflamed, mucus builds up and gets stuck, further compounding the problem.
Along with nasal congestion and headache, sinusitis causes pain around your cheeks and eyes. Sinus infections also cause thick, discolored mucus, and bad breath.
Compare the following symptoms to see if you have allergies or a possible sinus infection. Its also possible to have both conditions at the same time.
| Allergies |
