Sinus Medication: What Are Your Options?

Being sick is no fun at all. And when you’re down with a sinus infection, life can be doubly hard dealing with its symptoms. The most common symptom to deal with is having stuffy and runny nose. Combined with severe headaches, sometimes it can be almost impossible to concentrate on your daily task. Others may also experience post-nasal drip, facial pain, sore throat and bad breath. More bad news is that when sinusitis attacks, the symptoms can be felt for weeks at a time. And for some, it can even go on for months and keep on coming back.

Fortunately, when it comes to these symptoms, there are many sinus medications that you can take for relief. But what you need to take depends on what symptom you want to get rid of. To eliminate the infection once and for all would also need a sinus medication that targets the source of infection. Here are some information that you need to know regarding various sinus medications.

Sinus Medication for Your Sinusitis

For quick relief from the symptoms of sinusitis, over the counter drugs are often used.

* Decongestants are helpful in opening up the any obstruction in the sinuses and aid in proper drainage.

* Pain relievers, such as analgesics, are effective if you are having headaches or any pain around the sinus areas.

* Antihistamines are effective in suppressing the allergic symptoms.

* If you have fever, paracetamol are often recommended.

Many people use over the counter sinus medications as these drugs are easily available in any drugstore even without prescription. However, their use should be with care as they can lead to experiencing adverse side effects. For instance, decongestants are known to elevate blood pressure or cause insomnia, while antihistamines can cause drowsiness. Another important thing to note, over the counter sinus medications do not cure sinusitis as these drugs only offer temporary relief from the nasty symptoms.

To get rid of the sinusitis permanently, it would be necessary to take drugs that specifically target and eliminate the infection. For access to these drugs, you would need to consult your doctor, identify the cause of infection and get the right prescription. For bacterial infection, antibiotics are often prescribed. Anti-fungal medications are used if the culprit is fungi. For those with abnormal growths in the sinuses, corticosteroids can also be taken.

Just like over the counter drugs, misuse of specialized drugs can lead to adverse side effects like thinning of the bones, immunity to drugs and increase risk of infection. This is why it is important to consult a physician before use of any sinus medication. It is also important to take the sinus medication religiously and only as prescribed.

Alternative to Sinus Medication: Medicated Irrigation

Because of potential side effects, many people are looking for other options that are not only effective but safe as well. If you are one of those people, medicated irrigation can be one of your options. Using this form of treatment, the nasal passages are irrigated with saline and medicated solution to moisturize the sinuses and wash out excess dirt and unwanted particles. This also aids the cilia in performing their function and helps the clogged sinus to drain properly. If you want to know more about this form of treatment, consult your doctor now.