Treatment and Prevention
Since most cases of sinusitis are cause by a virus, your doctor or pharmacist may only recommend oral (e.g., phenylephrine*, pseudoephedrine) or topical (e.g., oxymetazoline, xylometazoline) decongestants, saline nasal sprays or rinses, and pain medications such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
Decongestant sprays should not be used for more than 3 days in a row or they will cause "rebound congestion." Steam inhalation and cool mist humidifiers may also help. It may help to add eucalyptus and menthol-based decongestants to the hot water. Although safe for adults, it is not recommended for young children.
If these measures do not improve symptoms after 7 to 10 days, then your doctor may prescribe antibiotics. However, only about 30% of people with sinusitis will need antibiotics. The typical duration of antibiotic treatment is for 10 to 14 days. If the infection is chronic and lasts over 3 months, antibiotic therapy may have to last up to 3 weeks.
It's important that you take all of the antibiotic medication as prescribed, even after symptoms have disappeared. Otherwise the bacteria could return in a form that's resistant to the antibiotic. Your doctor also may prescribe a corticosteroid nose spray for chronic sinusitis.
There's no guaranteed way to prevent all causes of sinusitis, but you can reduce your risk of viral infections by washing your hands frequently and properly, avoiding tobacco smoke and reducing your exposure to things you are allergic to.
*All medications have both common (generic) and brand names. The brand name is what a specific manufacturer calls the product (e.g., Tylenol®). The common name is the medical name for the medication (e.g., acetaminophen). A medication may have many brand names, but only one common name. This article lists medications by their common names. For more information on brand names, speak with your doctor or pharmacist.
Jeffrey Heit, MD, Internist with special emphasis on preventive health, fitness and nutrition, Philadelphia VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.