Sinus infection question

[mackmama]

Trying to figure out if I have a sinus infection or a bad cold (ie whether I need antibiotics or not). Is it a sinus infection if your sinuses are inflamed - or only when you have the thick mucus plugs? I can tell my sinuses are swollen, and my throat kills from the post-nasal drip. I am taking a decongestant and advil but have felt awful since yesterday. Should I also take an antihistamine? I am gargling with salt water. I usually use the neti pot, but a recent thread about the dangers of the neti pot have me too scared to use it. I have allergies to many antibiotics so I am hesitant to try any antibiotics unless absolutely necessary.

[legaleagle]

Trying to figure out if I have a sinus infection or a bad cold (ie whether I need antibiotics or not). Is it a sinus infection if your sinuses are inflamed - or only when you have the thick mucus plugs? I can tell my sinuses are swollen, and my throat kills from the post-nasal drip. I am taking a decongestant and advil but have felt awful since yesterday. Should I also take an antihistamine? I am gargling with salt water. I usually use the neti pot, but a recent thread about the dangers of the neti pot have me too scared to use it. I have allergies to many antibiotics so I am hesitant to try any antibiotics unless absolutely necessary.

I'm sorry to say that sounds very much like sinus infections present for me. The biggest tipoffs are the feeling awful and it getting worse, sore throat and decongestants not helping.

[weech]

I'm in the same boat and I'm headed to my primary care dr in a little while. My sinuses feel like they're twice the normal size....

[HIU8]

I would say yes, sounds like it. Mine present like that plus my upper teeth hurt and my head feels like it will explode along with neon green or neon yellow mucus.

[mackmama]

Are antibiotics always necessary to cure a sinus infection?

[KLD313]

I wouldn't take an antihistamine, you want to drain it out not dry it up. It does sound like a sinus infection. I would take Mucinex-D and stop the Sudafed since the D in the Mucinex is the same thing. Mucinex-D always works well when I have a sinus infection.

[HIU8]

They are for me. Nothing else works. I normally have to use a zpack to get rid of mine. I'm prone to them so I get them several times a year. It's been 8 months since my last infection and counting. I do a nasal rinse and nasonex spray daily.

[mackmama]

I'm in the same boat and I'm headed to my primary care dr in a little while. My sinuses feel like they're twice the normal size....

I hope you feel better soon! I'd love to hear what your doc says if you're open to sharing.

Thanks so much for everyone's feedback! Really hoping I can avoid an antibiotic.

[connor_mommy]

I would say yes, sounds like it. Mine present like that plus my upper teeth hurt and my head feels like it will explode along with neon green or neon yellow mucus.

My sinus infections are accompanied by really bad headaches. There 's a lot of pressure around my sinuses.

[lizzywednesday]

Are antibiotics always necessary to cure a sinus infection?

I've had several that the docs suspected were viral and I refused antibiotics.

I'm not a big fan of taking antibiotics in general, and if a doc is telling me the infection is viral I'm going to turn down a 'script for amoxycillin or similar. Antibiotics don't work on viral infections, only on bacterial ones.

It's been miserable, but I've done the hydrate-hydrate-hydrate, rest, irrigate and take meds to function thing & the infections have cleared on their own. (Of course, by the time I went to the doctor, I'd been suffering for 2 weeks already so the thing was on its way out anyway ... )

[flashy09]

The way I know is I get an eye infection and an ear infection and horrible ulcers on my throat with a mild fever and it just doesn't go away. Ugh, they are just the worst!

[Jo..]

Sounds like a sinus infection. I get them about twice per year.

I take fish antibiotics. :P

500mg of ammox twice daily for 7-8 days. Each bottle contains enough for 7 or so illnesses, and I expect it will last us a year.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA0760149563&nm_mc=OTC-Froogle2&cm_mmc=OTC-Froogle2-_-Fish+-+Health+Care-_-Thomas+Laboratories-_-9SIA0760149563

$30/ seven infections = just over $4 bucks every time we get sick. If we go to the doctor it is nearly $200 out of pocket (deductible) plus medicine $50 (deductible) =250 seven times per year.

$1750 vs $30...fish antibiotocs save us over seventeen hundred bucks annually. They are by far by biggest bargain score EVER.

We don't abuse them and only use them if we are CERTAIN we have a sinus infection or bronchitis, etc.

[Tondi G]

Use your Neti pot!!!! Just boil the water ... if you are nervous you could buy distilled water and boil that too if you are scared. It really does help. If you are still too nervous buy a saline sinus wash product that is already mixed. My ENT gave me this one. I felt like my neti pot worked better but this is an option for you. http://oceannasalcare.com/products/ocean-complete-sinus-irrigation/

I also use a product called Alkalol to clear my sinuses. You sniff and spit... it's kinda nasty and it is very strong but I always feel better after using it. My local CVS pharmacy carries it, they just keep it behind the counter. My best friends father is a very well known vocal teacher and he recommends it to his students all the time!

http://www.alkalolcompany.com/index.php

Mucinex D is a good suggestion too.

it might be a sinus infection... it might not. I always know when my teeth start hurting when I bend forward and I feel like someone is stabbing me between the eyes/mid forehead. Oh and usually my bright green mucus is present too.

[mackmama]

Use your Neti pot!!!! Just boil the water ... if you are nervous you could buy distilled water and boil that too if you are scared. It really does help. If you are still too nervous buy a saline sinus wash product that is already mixed. My ENT gave me this one. I felt like my neti pot worked better but this is an option for you. http://oceannasalcare.com/products/ocean-complete-sinus-irrigation/

I also use a product called Alkalol to clear my sinuses. You sniff and spit... it's kinda nasty and it is very strong but I always feel better after using it. My local CVS pharmacy carries it, they just keep it behind the counter. My best friends father is a very well known vocal teacher and he recommends it to his students all the time!

http://www.alkalolcompany.com/index.php

Mucinex D is a good suggestion too.

it might be a sinus infection... it might not. I always know when my teeth start hurting when I bend forward and I feel like someone is stabbing me between the eyes/mid forehead. Oh and usually my bright green mucus is present too.

I just got back from the pharmacy looking for distilled water - they didn't have any. I also looked for a saline wash product, but they didn't have any. Argh!! I will try another pharmacy later today.

[BigDog]

Well, I've had 3 sinus infections in the last 2.5 months. I feel your pain. I usually try to kick it on my own without a trip to my doctor but that almost never works. The first one I was prescribed a zpack and I felt better immediately. The second time around (a month later) I was prescribed another zpack and it didn't help at all, and I didn't want to call back to get anything stronger because I'm prone to yeast infections. So I suffered through it and it eventually got better... although now I'm on my third infection in 2.5 months so it probably never really went away. I'm suffering through this one. They get so bad that my whole head aches, from my teeth to my eyes to my cheeks. Sinus infections suck.

[Tondi G]

I just got back from the pharmacy looking for distilled water - they didn't have any. I also looked for a saline wash product, but they didn't have any. Argh!! I will try another pharmacy later today.

Oh no! Bummer! Yeah you should be able to find a gallon jug of water ... I know Sparkletts brand has it here in CA. They carry it in Ralphs (Kroger) grocery stores around here.

Hope the other pharmacy has what you need.

[MSWR0319]

The only thing that helps clear my sinus infections without drugs is the Neti pot.
Sorry, not what you wanted to hear. I hope you can find some distilled. It usually akes a couple days to help me feel better if it's really bad. I can usually tell if it's a sinus infection like pp said. If I bend forward and the area above my eyes hurts. I've also had sinus infections with no green mucus.

[weech]

I hope you feel better soon! I'd love to hear what your doc says if you're open to sharing.

Thanks so much for everyone's feedback! Really hoping I can avoid an antibiotic.

Just got back armed with 10 days of amoxicillin. Doc said I had a bad sinus infection with lots of fluid in my ears and swollen lymph nodes. I'm prone to sinus infections, so I figured. She said the next time I feel this type of sickness coming on to use a neti pot to wash everything out, but that using it now probably wouldn't do much good since it's already infected.

[mackmama]

Just got back armed with 10 days of amoxicillin. Doc said I had a bad sinus infection with lots of fluid in my ears and swollen lymph nodes. I'm prone to sinus infections, so I figured. She said the next time I feel this type of sickness coming on to use a neti pot to wash everything out, but that using it now probably wouldn't do much good since it's already infected.

Oy sounds like you really have an infection. I hope you feel better soon and that the meds kick right in. Did the dr take an xray? Good to know the doc backs the neti pot.

[edurnemk]

Are antibiotics always necessary to cure a sinus infection?

Not always, last summer I went to my ENT thinking I had a sinus infection, it turned out my sinuses were pretty swelled up, but no infection, it was due to allergies. Decongestants and my regular antihistamine were doing nothing for me. I had to have a cortisone injection and then follow a month long treatment with a stronger antihistamine and cortisone nose drops.

I know I have sinusitis when I feel pain/pressure on my forehead and around my eyes when I bend over, also if it's bad even my teeth hurt, decongestants don't do much and I have a horrible headache.

Love the netipot but you need to start it early.

Finally here's a home recipe for making saline wash my Dr. gave me:
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
1 cup of warm water.

If you find it to be too strong, you can dilute it a bit more.

Hope you're feeling better.

[mackmama]

Not always, last summer I went to my ENT thinking I had a sinus infection, it turned out my sinuses were pretty swelled up, but no infection, it was due to allergies. Decongestants and my regular antihistamine were doing nothing for me. I had to have a cortisone injection and then follow a month long treatment with a stronger antihistamine and cortisone nose drops.

I know I have sinusitis when I feel pain/pressure on my forehead and around my eyes when I bend over, also if it's bad even my teeth hurt, decongestants don't do much and I have a horrible headache.

Love the netipot but you need to start it early.

Finally here's a home recipe for making saline wash my Dr. gave me:
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
1 cup of warm water.

If you find it to be too strong, you can dilute it a bit more.

Hope you're feeling better.

Thank you! I will try that solution once I find some distilled water. It is challenging being sick and taking care of DC. I just hope DC doesn't get sick.

[edurnemk]

Thank you! I will try that solution once I find some distilled water. It is challenging being sick and taking care of DC. I just hope DC doesn't get sick.

If you can't get distilled water, you can boil tap water or filtered water. Just make sure it boils during at least 20 minutes.