Sinus Infection Treatment - What to Expect From Your Doctor

You should never attempt sinus infection treatment at home without first consulting your doctor.

Through the creative efforts of highly persuasive and expensive lobbyists and in their scramble for profits, the pharmaceutical giants have somehow managed to get FDA approval on several questionable OTC (over the counter) sinus medications... a number of which have dangerous, if not life-threatening side effects.

For example:

• Mixing decongestants with other drugs with similar side effects may cause life-threatening complications.


• Whereas OTC decongestant nasal sprays bring fast relief, they unfortunately have a rebound effect. If used incorrectly, your body could develop drug resistance. If this happens, you will need more frequent applications in order to achieve the same clarity of breathing. This could lead to drug dependence requiring a difficult and expensive withdrawal program.


• Although OTC oral decongestants are slower to take effect and are a little safer to use, they eventually deliver the same rebound effect as described above.


• If you have a history of cardiac disease or high blood pressure, taking OTC oral decongestants could be life threatening. Also, if you happen to have an enlarged prostate, using them would make it virtually impossible for you to urinate.


• Even though Phenylpropanolamine has been withdrawn because of its dangers, some OTC oral decongestants still contain this ingredient.


• OTC antihistamines cause more harm than good, because they dry out nasal cavities and mucous deposits. This leads to further sinus blockage because of mucosal thickening followed by the build-up of dry, flaky mucous.


• If you suffer from frequent acid indigestion, taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: (NSAID's), such as aspirin, Motrin, Advil and Alieve, could lead to more frequent attacks. .

The following advice is worth repeating:

Do not attempt at-home sinus infection treatment by taking OTC medication without your doctor's approval.

Your doctor will be able to offer advice on the most effective combination of OTC medications for you. He will also advise you on correct dosages, together with the safest way to use nasal sprays and oral decongestants.

Alternatively, s/he can prescribe replacements that avoid the above complications altogether.

Medical Treatment

Your doctor's first priority during sinus infection treatment is to eliminate infection. Unfortunately if a virus causes it, there's very little he can do, other that to treat the symptoms and allow the disease to run its course.

1. If bacteria caused the infection, he may use a synthetic penicillin to fight the infection. However, if you are allergic to penicillin, he may resort to a sulfur-based antibiotic, which usually takes longer than artificial penicillin to become effective.
   
   Treatment with either of these will typically last from fourteen to twenty-one days and should be supported by selective home remedies for sinus congestion.


2. If there is poor response to the antibiotic regimen, your doctor may recommend a course of intranasal steroids.
   
   These work well and they focus directly on the nose without affecting the rest of the body. However, they are expensive.


3. If the sinus attack were caused by an allergy, in order to reduce inflammation of the mucous membranes, he would typically use a prescription antihistamine that doesn't promote dryness.


4. If you have fungal sinusitis, his core treatment would be anti fungal therapy.


5. If you are a GERD sufferer of if you experience frequent bouts of heartburn, your doctor may restrict your painkiller regimen to the use of Tylenol. (see the topic under 'Acid Reflux Remedies at: http://www.home-remedy-site.com/
   

If your symptoms respond poorly to antibiotics and/or steroids, and your supporting home remedies have little effect, your doctor would probably refer you to an Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialist.

This is a highly qualified physician specializing in rhinology (sinus infection treatment).

Do you Need Surgery?

Before attempting specialized sinus infection treatment, the ENT's mission would be to first identify the root cause of the infection by performing one or more of the following:

• Nasopharyngoscopic examination.
  
  A nasopharyngoscope is a thin, flexible fiberoptic instrument that is used to examine the insides of the osteomeatal complex (OMC) - The OMC is the series of tubes connecting the nasal passage to the sinus cavities.


• CT scans, possibly followed up by an MRI examination.


• Lastly, if he needs to identify the specific microorganism causing the problem, he may drain a small amount of puss directly from the infected sinus for pathological analysis. This is an invasive test that is rarely used.

After a thorough investigation, the ENT would make his recommendations.

A specialized course of antibiotics may be called for.

On the other hand, if the CT scans reveled obstructive mucosal disease... and/or the nasopharyngoscopic examination revealed anatomical anomalies such as a deviated nasal septum (crooked nasal passage), and/or growth of obstructive nasal polyps, he would probably recommend non-invasive endoscopic surgery.

During surgery, the ENT would carry out a sinus drainage procedure by opening the OMC. At the same time he would straighten the crooked septum if necessary, and remove any obstructive polyps in order to improve airflow through the nasal passages.

Patients usually respond favorably to sinus surgery, however, in the case of chronic sufferers, periodic antibiotics or the continued use of a nasal steroidal spray may be necessary.