Sinus Infection Treatment
Determine the severity of the infection. If it is just a runny nose and mild congestion, simple treatments at home may do the job. For severe infections with pain, fever or vision changes, antibiotics and possibly even surgical interventions may be necessary.
Nasal Humidification
You can provide humidification to the sinusese by using a room air humidifier or directly by applying moisture to the nasal lining with a neti pot or saline nasal irrigation. A neti pot is a small pot used for irrigation of the nasal passages; the tissue in the nose is healthiest when it is moist. With some mild viral infections, keeping the nose moist is enough to take down the inflammation and cure the symptoms of sinusitis, according to the book "Head and Neck Surgery - Otolaryngology" by Byron Bailey.
Nasal Decongestants
The decongestants can be topical sprays, such as Afrin, or oral, such as Sudafed or Tylenol Sinus. The infections often persist because the inflammation of the sinuses causes blockage of the sinus openings, and the infected fluid can not drain. Decongestants decrease the swelling and allow the passages to open up and drain the fluid. An important consideration is that the decongestant sprays should not be used for more than four consecutive days due to the risk of addiction.
Antibiotics
Physicians prescribe antibiotic medications for sinus infections that are suspected of being caused by bacteria. Those infections are typically more severe, and are characterised by visible pus at the sinus openings. Physicians prescribe milder oral antibiotics, such as amoxicillin or azithromycin, for milder bacterial infections. As the infections become more severe, physicians sometimes switch to aggressive IV antibiotic treatments to stop the sinus infection.
Surgery
For chronic infections that do not respond to treatment, or those caused by anatomic abnormalities, physicians often must perform surgery to treat the sinuses. According to the Mont Reid Surgical Handbook, sinus surgery consists of removing the infected and swollen tissue from the sinus openings so that the sinuses can drain.
Only qualified physicians should provide treatment of sinus infections. Due to possible side effects, do not attempt these treatments without physician supervision.
Mayo Clinic: Chronic Sinusitis [http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/chronic-sinusitis/ds00232]
"Head and Neck Surgery - Otolaryngology"; Byron Bailey; 2006
"The Mont Reid Surgical Handbook"; David Fischer; 2005
Published by Joe MD
Dr. Joe Sharg is a physician who also holds a Masters in Public Health degree from the Harvard School of Public Health. His first published article was in the "Journal of Neuro-Oncology" in 1999. Since then... View profile
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