Treatment for acute sinusitis is usually done with remedies to relieve major symptoms caused by inflammation, prescribed by the general practitioner or otorhinolaryngologist. However, some home measures such as nasal lavage with water and salt or saline or steam inhalations may help reduce the symptoms and discomfort of the disease.
In this way, treatment for sinusitis usually includes the use of medications such as:
- Analgesics and anti-inflammatories such as Paracetamol or Ibuprofen, for example, to relieve headache and facial bones, and reduce inflammation of the sinuses;
- Nasal sprays such as Fluticasone or Mometasone, for example, under the guidance of a physician, are used to reduce inflammation of the sinuses and relieve nasal congestion, coryza, itching, and sneezing;
- Oral corticosteroids such as prednisone, under medical indication and prescription, to treat inflammation of the sinuses;
- Antibiotics, such as Amoxicillin or Azithromycin, for example, are recommended by the doctor only for the treatment of bacterial sinusitis, ie when it is caused by a bacterial infection;
- Nasal decongestants contain Nafazoline, Oximetazoline or Tetrahydrozoline, such as Sorine, for example, help improve symptoms, but should be done with caution, for less than 3 weeks, as they cause rebound and dependence.
When sinusitis has an allergic cause, such as after episodes of dust allergy, for example, your doctor may prescribe antiallergic medicines like Loratadine or Cetirizine to treat inflammation of the sinuses triggered by a dust allergy.
In addition, it is important to avoid antibiotics when there is no indication of bacterial sinusitis, as unnecessary use of these medications can lead to bacterial resistance, which can cause chronic and difficult to treat sinusitis. To better differentiate each type of sinusitis, check out sinusitis symptoms.
How To Treat Chronic Sinusitis
Chronic sinusitis is one that lasts for more than 12 weeks, usually caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria or other causes such as difficult-to-control allergies, fungal or other rare conditions, such as deficiency of immunity or changes in drainage of secretion from facial breasts, as in cystic fibrosis, for example.
Treatment for chronic sinusitis is prolonged for 3 to 4 weeks and may include antibiotics, oral or nasal spray, as well as nebulizers with filtered water or saline to relieve nasal congestion.
In cases where people with chronic sinusitis do not improve with the medications, surgery may be indicated by the otolaryngologist to try to solve the problem. This surgery consists of opening the drainage holes of the sinuses, facilitating the drainage of the mucus retained in the sinuses, or correcting the deviations of the nasal septum, improving sinusitis symptoms.
Learn more about how it is done, risks and recovery from sinus surgery.
Home Treatment Options
Some home treatment options may help to supplement the treatment, but they do not replace the doctor's advice. A great option is nasal lavage with salt and water as it facilitates the removal of secretions, leaving the airways free, reducing pain and nasal congestion. Here's how to make this saline solution for sinusitis.
Another natural remedy for sinusitis are the steam inhalations of medicinal plants, such as eucalyptus or orange peels, as they have expectorant properties. To make these inhalations, you should put 1 drop of eucalyptus essential oil or 1 orange peel in a pan along with 1 liter of water and let it boil. Afterwards, extinguish the fire and inhale the steam, when it is softened, to avoid injury.
Treatment for sinusitis
Treatment of childhood sinusitis should also be done according to its cause and to the symptoms of each child, with anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic and, if necessary, antibiotics that should be prescribed by the pediatrician according to age and the child's weight.
In addition to the remedies, a good solution is to do nasal washes with saline or water and salt, as well as nebulisations with saline, to facilitate the exit of the secretions and relieve inflammation of the sinuses and some symptoms such as coryza and nasal congestion . Here's how to do nebulization for sinusitis by watching this video:
Care during treatment for sinusitis
During treatment for sinusitis, it is important to take some care, such as:
- Drink about 1.5 to 2 liters of water per day;
- Avoid going to places with cigarette smoke or air conditioning on;
- Avoid cleaning the house until the sinusitis passes;
- Avoid being in locations or handling dusty objects.
In addition, if you are in a cold place, it is recommended to protect the mouth and nose with a scarf.
Signs of improvement
Signs of improvement in sinusitis include decreased coryza, nasal congestion, headache, and pain in the bones of the face.
Signs of worsening
Signs of worsening sinusitis include increased coryza, nasal congestion, headache, and pain in the bones of the face. In these cases, it is important to return to the doctor to reassess the symptoms and consider changing or increasing the dose of the medications.
