What Should You Do if You Have a Sinus Infection?

When you think you have a sinus infection, you might be worried about what to do next. After all, a stuffy nose and nasal pain can make everyday tasks more difficult, especially if you've been dealing with symptoms for a while. If this sounds like you, the first step is to relax. The second step is to follow these directions for your pathway to breathing better.

Consider your symptoms

Before discussing treatment options, it’s important to know whether or not you do have a sinus infection, and the first step can be done by yourself. Common symptoms of sinusitis include:

• Pain in your forehead, sides of the nose, upper jaw, or between the eyes
• Colored nasal discharge
• Congestion
• Irritation in the throat

Recognizing these symptoms and their severity can help you determine whether or not you should seek medical attention.

Make an appointment with an ENT specialist

After thinking about your symptoms, it’s time to reach out to an otolaryngologist who can examine your ears, nose, and throat. They can provide the proper diagnosis and rule out other conditions that might cause similar symptoms, like allergies, tonsillitis, or a deviated septum. From there, they’ll provide the proper treatment regimen based on the results.

Treat yourself at home and as prescribed by your physician

If you are diagnosed with a sinus infection, your ENT specialist will offer medicinal and home treatment options. For bacterial sinus infections, you may be given a regimen of antibiotics to work on the source (just be sure to finish the entire prescription as intended). Steroids may also be prescribed to reduce swelling.

At home, you have quite a few options to make symptoms more manageable. Ibuprofen and NSAIDs may help with inflammation and headaches. Dr. FP Langford, a CEENTA otolaryngologist at our Concord office, has some additional home remedies to consider. “Placing a warm compress over your face can provide relief, and staying hydrated and relying on nasal irrigation with neti pots can pay dividends for mucus build-up.”

Think about additional options if symptoms persist

Your symptoms should subside over time, but if they do not, you may have chronic sinusitis. Surgical options may be considered by your ENT doctor, which could include balloon sinuplasty, septoplasty, or sinus surgery. Discuss with your physician if these treatments are necessary if your symptoms persist over two weeks.

Sinus infections may not be comfortable, but you can find relief with CEENTA. If you believe that you have a sinus infection, schedule an appointment with Dr. Langford at our Concord office or any of our board-certified physicians across our nearly twenty offices today to get back to feeling better.

This blog is for informational purposes only. For specific medical questions, please consult your doctor. New patients can make appointments online with our ENT doctors in North and South Carolina. Current patients can also make appointments through myCEENTAchart with physicians they have already seen.