Sinus Relief
Having sinus pressure can be miserable when you are in the middle of a sinus infection. There are many ways to ease the symptoms of a sinus infection and gain sinus relief while the infection runs its course. While a doctor may prescribe medication to combat the infection, there are several over-the-counter remedies and home remedies that can be used to relieve the pain and pressure of sinusitis.
Over the counter medications like ibuprofen or acetaminophen can reduce the swelling that is caused by a sinus infection and provide relief from some of the pressure and pain that is felt behind the eyes, the cheeks, the nasal passages and the forehead. The buildup of fluids and the irritation of tissue in the sinuses can also cause pain. To promote drainage, nasal douches or breathing steam is often recommended to provide sinus relief. This helps clear the passages of fluid and soothes inflamed tissues. Over the counter decongestants can also prove helpful in this regard, as well as nasal sprays and nasal saline solution.
In more chronic cases of sinus infection, more aggressive means of treatment may be used. Sinus relief can be achieved by having a physician actually drain the sinuses using a special endoscope. This is also used to examine the nasal passages to check for nasal polyps which could be a source for chronic sinus infections and surgical removal of these polyps may be necessary in order to achieve relief of chronic sinus infections.
When acute or chronic sinus infections are determined to be of a bacterial nature as opposed to a viral nature, a physician may prescribe antibiotics to eradicate the bacteria that are responsible for the infection and are colonizing in the sinus passages. For acute and uncomplicated cases of sinusitis, a short course of amoxicillin, a synthetic penicillin is usually prescribed for sinus relief. For patients who are allergic to penicillin, a sulfur-containing antibiotic known as TMP/SMX is prescribed. For more chronic and aggressive cases of sinusitis and for people who have already been previously treated with antibiotics, a broad-spectrum antibiotic such as Augmentin, Ceftin, and Lorabid is prescribed.
Sinus relief can be had in the midst of acute or chronic sinusitis. Whether it's treatment that is aimed at the symptoms like nasal spays and douches and anti-inflammatory drugs to ease the swelling, relief can be felt and people can go on about their day when there is a good regimen in place to treat the symptoms and also treat the underlying causes of the infection.
