Treatment of Sinus Infections With Conventional Medications
For many people, sinus infections may be severe enough to require a prescription medication even when home or herbal remedies have been applied.
This medication includes antibiotics, antihistamines, decongestants, mucolytics as well as steroids.
Sinusitis caused by virus infection usually does not require antibiotics treatment.
Pain and fever medications such as acetaminophen and decongestants are usually recommended.
Antibiotics medications however, are usually prescribed when bacteria infection has been diagnosed.
The antibiotic medications are usually aimed at treating the five most common bacteria causing sinus infection.
They are Streptococcus pneumonia, Hemophilius influenza, Moraxella catarrhalis, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes.
Effective antibiotics must be able to kill these bacteria types.
Examples of such are amoxiline (Amoxil), cefaclor (ceclor) and loracarbef (lorabid).
An effective antibiotics medication needs to be continued for a minimum of 10 - 14 days.
It should be noted that antibiotics have side effects (adverse effects in some situations).
These include damage to hearing and sense of balance as well as kidney damage.
Some antibiotics are also associated with diarrhea and rashes while the others interfere with the patients DNA Activity.
Antibiotics many times worsen fungal infections by destroying most of the good bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract and cause people to develop candidiasis.
Some antibiotics are more likely to promote antibiotic resistance while some may be addictive.
Overuse of antibiotics also weakens the immune system and makes you more vulnerable to repeated illness by breeding a hybrid strain of super bacteria in your body.
The next set of medications are decongestants which are available ever the counter and the prescription form like the antibiotics.
They generally help to relieve congestion, nasal pressure and nasal swelling by reducing the blood flow to the membranes, which in turn will improve air flow, lessen breathing through the mouth, and decrease pressure in the sinuses and the head, ultimately easing discomfort.
Decongestants are also not without side effects.
These include increased blood pressure and heart rate.
Patients with high blood pressure are thus advised to consult their physician before taking decongestants.
An example of decongestant is pseudoephedrine.
Antihistamines are also recommended to patients if the doctor has determined that the sinus infections is due to allergy, such as from pollens, dander are other environmental causes.
The side effects are drowsiness and sleepiness.
Perhaps the most important side effect of antihistamines is that it can cause dryness in the nasal passage.
This dryness is temporary.
This may however be countered by prescribing decongestants alongside the antihistamines.
Leukotrienes are anti-inflammatory drugs which are prescribed to prevent inflammation in the airways and sinus cavities.
They are usually useful in treating patients with sinus infections due to asthma.
The side effects are: dryness of the nasal passage, headache, bleeding, crusting, upset stomach and skin rashes.
Mucolytics (guaifenesin) are also useful in treating cough and may be administered orally in the tablet or liquid form.
It may also be placed inside a nebulizer and inhaled.
They generally destroy and dissolve mucus which makes it difficult for the patient to breath.
They are usually given the high doses because that is the only way to achieve easier drainage.
The body can then expel the mucus through coughing otherwise a suction may be needed.
Steroid nasal sprays are also recommended to patients with allergies to help reduce swelling caused by those allergies without the drying caused by using antihistamine.
For nasal polyps patients, the doctor may also prescribe low dose steroids nasal spray which are effective in keeping the polyps from returning.
Chronic sinus infection also requires longer courses of drugs such as, augmentin (amoxilin - clavulanate) and may require sinus drainage procedure.
Sinus infections caused by allergies can also be treated with immunotherapy which is the stimulation of the patient's antibodies.
Sinus infections have complications which may include a direct extension of infection into the brain, creating a life - threatening emergencies.
It is therefore recommended that you seek medical help if you have colds that last longer than two weeks.
This medication includes antibiotics, antihistamines, decongestants, mucolytics as well as steroids.
Sinusitis caused by virus infection usually does not require antibiotics treatment.
Pain and fever medications such as acetaminophen and decongestants are usually recommended.
Antibiotics medications however, are usually prescribed when bacteria infection has been diagnosed.
The antibiotic medications are usually aimed at treating the five most common bacteria causing sinus infection.
They are Streptococcus pneumonia, Hemophilius influenza, Moraxella catarrhalis, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes.
Effective antibiotics must be able to kill these bacteria types.
Examples of such are amoxiline (Amoxil), cefaclor (ceclor) and loracarbef (lorabid).
An effective antibiotics medication needs to be continued for a minimum of 10 - 14 days.
It should be noted that antibiotics have side effects (adverse effects in some situations).
These include damage to hearing and sense of balance as well as kidney damage.
Some antibiotics are also associated with diarrhea and rashes while the others interfere with the patients DNA Activity.
Antibiotics many times worsen fungal infections by destroying most of the good bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract and cause people to develop candidiasis.
Some antibiotics are more likely to promote antibiotic resistance while some may be addictive.
Overuse of antibiotics also weakens the immune system and makes you more vulnerable to repeated illness by breeding a hybrid strain of super bacteria in your body.
The next set of medications are decongestants which are available ever the counter and the prescription form like the antibiotics.
They generally help to relieve congestion, nasal pressure and nasal swelling by reducing the blood flow to the membranes, which in turn will improve air flow, lessen breathing through the mouth, and decrease pressure in the sinuses and the head, ultimately easing discomfort.
Decongestants are also not without side effects.
These include increased blood pressure and heart rate.
Patients with high blood pressure are thus advised to consult their physician before taking decongestants.
An example of decongestant is pseudoephedrine.
Antihistamines are also recommended to patients if the doctor has determined that the sinus infections is due to allergy, such as from pollens, dander are other environmental causes.
The side effects are drowsiness and sleepiness.
Perhaps the most important side effect of antihistamines is that it can cause dryness in the nasal passage.
This dryness is temporary.
This may however be countered by prescribing decongestants alongside the antihistamines.
Leukotrienes are anti-inflammatory drugs which are prescribed to prevent inflammation in the airways and sinus cavities.
They are usually useful in treating patients with sinus infections due to asthma.
The side effects are: dryness of the nasal passage, headache, bleeding, crusting, upset stomach and skin rashes.
Mucolytics (guaifenesin) are also useful in treating cough and may be administered orally in the tablet or liquid form.
It may also be placed inside a nebulizer and inhaled.
They generally destroy and dissolve mucus which makes it difficult for the patient to breath.
They are usually given the high doses because that is the only way to achieve easier drainage.
The body can then expel the mucus through coughing otherwise a suction may be needed.
Steroid nasal sprays are also recommended to patients with allergies to help reduce swelling caused by those allergies without the drying caused by using antihistamine.
For nasal polyps patients, the doctor may also prescribe low dose steroids nasal spray which are effective in keeping the polyps from returning.
Chronic sinus infection also requires longer courses of drugs such as, augmentin (amoxilin - clavulanate) and may require sinus drainage procedure.
Sinus infections caused by allergies can also be treated with immunotherapy which is the stimulation of the patient's antibodies.
Sinus infections have complications which may include a direct extension of infection into the brain, creating a life - threatening emergencies.
It is therefore recommended that you seek medical help if you have colds that last longer than two weeks.
