You might have symptoms, such as face pain and fever. You might have yellow or greenish discharge from your nose. Your healthcare provider might or might not use an antibiotic to help treat you. Other treatments may help make you feel better.
Instead, your doctor looks largely at symptom duration to determine the source of your infection. A viral sinus infection will usually start to improve after five to seven days. A bacterial sinus infection will often persist for seven to 10 days or longer, and may actually worsen after seven days.
Even without antibiotics, most people can fight off a bacterial infection, especially if symptoms are mild. About 70 percent of the time, symptoms of acute bacterial sinus infections go away within two weeks without antibiotics.
A viral sinus infection is much more common than a bacterial one. With viral sinusitis, a virus infects the lining of your facial and nasal cavities. It is typically caused by a viral upper respiratory infection. A bacterial sinus infection is caused by bacteria infecting the lining of your facial and nasal cavities.
Typically, antibiotics are needed when: Sinus infection symptoms last over a week. Symptoms worsen after starting to get better. Sinusitis symptoms are severe (high fever, skin infection or rash, extreme pain or tenderness around the eyes or nose)
Left untreated, a sinus infection has the potential to spread to your meninges (the protective coverings around your brain and spinal cord), causing them to become inflamed — a condition called meningitis. Meningitis gives rise to the following signs and symptoms: Sudden, high-grade fever. Neck stiffness.
Antibiotics are standard treatments for bacterial sinus infections. Antibiotics are usually taken from 3 to 28 days, depending on the type of antibiotic. Because the sinuses are deep-seated in the bones, and blood supply is limited, longer treatments may be prescribed for people with longer lasting or severe cases.
What causes acute bacterial rhinosinusitis? ABRS is caused by bacteria that infect the lining of your nasal cavity and sinuses. It's most often caused by the bacteria Streptococcus pneumonia. Or it may be caused by the bacteria Haemophilus influenzae.
Your tests may include: A culture of nasal drainage collected via a swab of the nose or sinus. Blood tests (erythrocyte sedimentation rate, CBC, C-reactive protein) Allergy testing, especially for a chronic sinus infection or repeat sinus infections.
Sinus infections can be viral or bacterial. “Either way, it's best to stay home,” Wigmore says. Viral sinus infections are often contagious. If you have had symptoms longer than one week, or if you have severe facial pain, teeth/jaw pain, or fever, you may have a bacterial infection and should consult your doctor.
How Do Sinus Infections Spread? Sinusitis generally spreads in the same way a cold or flu does. Particles and droplets containing viruses become airborne after a person coughs or sneezes, and those germs then spread to others. These viruses can also be passed by physical touch.
Blowing the nose can worsen the feeling of congestion due to pressure build-up within the nostrils, which may shoot up the mucus into the sinuses instead of ejection through the nose.
Garlic. Garlic is well known for being a natural antibiotic. Since colds often lead to a sinus infection, garlic is an awesome way to naturally treat a sinus infection and even prevent it in the first place.
Seeking medical attention is important as sinus infections can quickly worsen and cause further complications. It's important to seek medical attention if you're experiencing persistent symptoms, a high fever, severe headaches, pain in the face or teeth, difficulty breathing, or loss of smell or taste.
Antibiotics and sinus infections
This may give you the idea that you need antibiotics, but most clear up without them. Antibiotics have no effect on viruses and aren't recommended within the first week of developing a cold. About 70% of sinus infections go away within two weeks without antibiotics.
How Long Do Sinus Infections Last? Many variables affect the duration of sinus infections. Most last more than 10 days, but when a sinus infection lasts more than twelve weeks, it is considered chronic sinusitis. If after 10 days, your symptoms have not improved, see your primary care doctor.
As your body works hard to fight off the sinus infection, you'll feel more tired than usual. Fatigue can be also be caused by head pain, a lack of adequate sleep, and difficulty breathing due to sinusitis.