An “acute” sinus infection lasts anywhere from ten days up to eight weeks.
A viral sinus infection can develop into a bacterial infection, which typically lasts longer than 10 days. Once a bacterial sinus infection is diagnosed and treated, patients usually respond to antibiotics in 2-3 days and sinus infections resolve anywhere between 7-14 days after that.
See a doctor immediately if you have signs or symptoms that may indicate a serious infection: Pain, swelling or redness around your eyes. High fever. Confusion.
Prolonged sinus infections can cause respiratory problems. Trouble breathing may result in your body feeling fatigued as it's harder to get oxygen to your brain. Your doctor can drain your sinus passages, decreasing inflammation, and help you breathe easier.
When sinus infections won't seem to go away or continue to return, there may be a more serious problem going on. These particularly painful infections are known as chronic sinusitis and they need more attention and care than just over-the-counter medications.
Antibiotics only will be needed if the infection is severe, recurrent or persistent.
Chronic Sinus Infections
If you keep having the same symptoms for over two weeks without getting better, a trip to the ER is the best way to stop the signs, especially if there is already difficulty breathing. It may also be possible that there is an underlying condition you may not have discovered yet.
This can lead to a brain abscess or meningitis, rare and life-threatening conditions. While emphasizing that these complications are unlikely, Sindwani explains, “In most cases, the bacterial infection goes away, especially if you don't have underlying medical problems.”
Viral infections are spread the same way as bacterial infections. The difference is that the viral infection will start to improve after 5 to 7 days of the initial onset of the symptoms. There is no one definitive way for a doctor to determine if you have a bacterial or viral sinus infection based on symptoms alone.
If your sinus infection just won't go away or keeps coming back, it may be time to see an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist. An ENT treats conditions of the ear, nose, throat, head, face, and neck. It may be time to see an ENT if: You've completed several courses of antibiotics without success.
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.
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.
Sinusitis may require a call to your doctor.
Although many sinus infections go away on their own, you may need to see a doctor if: You have severe symptoms from the beginning. You start to get better but then feel worse again. Have symptoms that last more than 10 days.
Your Air Is Too Dry
This is especially true in the colder months when sinus infections are more common. The cold, dry air of winter not only dry out your skin but your nasal passages as well. The dry air will irritate your sinuses and make your symptoms even worse.
You doctor may recommend antibiotics if: You have symptoms of a bacterial infection and you have not gotten better after 10 days, even with home treatment. Your symptoms are severe, or you have other problems, such as pus forming in your sinus cavities. You have had sinusitis for 12 weeks or longer (chronic sinusitis).
The bacteria confine themselves in stubborn “biofilms,” making it difficult for your immune system or antibiotics to find and attack them. An overlap of additional factors such as smoking, environmental pollutants, and deviated septum, further complicate the picture of chronic sinusitis.
Sinus infections can be the reason you end up in an ER near you. The infection can cause many health problems, some more threatening than others. Without urgent treatment in an ER near you, chronic sinus infections can become unbearable and cause a major wreck in your life.
Endoscopic Sinus Surgery
Sinus surgery using a nasal endoscope is the most commonly recommended procedure for people with chronic sinusitis. The surgeon uses the same type of thin endoscope used during the diagnostic exam. This procedure requires no visible incisions, is performed under general anesthesia.
Fungal and bacterial sinus infections, on the other hand, are not contagious, but these types of infections are uncommon. If you have a sinus infection, it's best to assume that it is viral and take as many precautions as you can, like staying home from work or school.
The typical amoxicillin dosage for a sinus infection is 500 mg every 8 hours, or 875 mg every 12 hours, taken for 5 to 10 days. This may vary based on the severity of your infection. Body weight will determine the dosage for children. You can take amoxicillin with or without food.
Getting plenty of rest and staying hydrated are also essential as the body recovers. If people have symptoms of a sinus infection for longer than 7–10 days or any severe symptoms, they can see their doctor for further treatment.
On the other hand, repeated and forceful nose-blowing can generate pressures that are high enough to force mucus into the sinuses, which could be a factor in chronic sinusitis. If you are going to blow your nose, stick to one nostril at a time and do it gently.
Amoxicillin remains the drug of choice for acute, uncomplicated bacterial sinusitis. Amoxicillin is most effective when given frequently enough to sustain adequate levels in the infected tissue.