Sinus infection when do i need antibiotics

Consider these other forms of treatments instead of antibiotics: Decongestants. These medications are available for over-the-counter purchase.

Be careful to only take these medications for a few days at most, as they can cause the return of more severe congestions.

Over-the-counter pain relievers. Aspirins, acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help relieve temporary pain. Saline nasal spray. This is used to spray into your nose several times a day to rinse your nasal passages. They can help to prevent and treat inflammation. Antibiotics only will be needed if the infection is severe, recurrent or persistent.

The likelihood of bacterial infection increases when: Symptoms last seven days or more, particularly when symptoms initially improve and then worsen. Mucus is thick and yellow or greenish in color. Pain is present in the upper teeth and is worse on one side of the face. People with the condition usually have a stuffy nose combined with yellow, green, or gray nasal discharge plus pain or pressure around the eyes, cheeks, forehead, or teeth that worsens when they bend over.

Even when bacteria are the cause, the infections often clear up on their own in a week or so. About one in four people who take antibiotics have side effects, such as stomach problems, dizziness, or rashes. Those problems clear up soon after stopping the drugs, but in rare cases antibiotics can cause severe allergic reactions. That makes you more vulnerable to antibiotic-resistant infections and undermines the good that antibiotics can do for others.

And you may feel pain or pressure around your eyes, cheeks, forehead, or teeth. Each year, millions of people use antibiotic drugs to treat sinus problems. However, they usually do not need antibiotics. Most antibiotics do not cost very much. But why waste your money? Patients often ask for antibiotics, and doctors often give them.

As a result, Americans spend tens of millions of dollars a year on health care costs. You usually need an antibiotic when you have an infection that is caused by bacteria, and the infection is not going away on its own. This may be the case when:. When you need an antibiotic, ask your doctor if you can use generic amoxicillin.