Sinusitis Medication Treatment

Sinusitis is an infection characterized by inflammation in the sinus and nasal cavities.  The onset of a sinusitis infection develops following the swelling in the sinus cavity lining usually due to a blockage.  The course of a sinusitis infection usually starts with a cold or an allergy.  When the bacteria from the cold or allergy attack the already inflamed sinus cavity it can result in the sinus cavity opening becoming swollen shut.  When the sinus cavity is swollen shut, the bacteria and mucus cannot drain out of the cavity, causing more inflammation.  The cilia are small hairs found in the nasal passage that perform the function of removing debris from the sinuses. During a sinusitis infection the cilia are unable to remove the mucus when the sinus opening is swollen shut.  Symptoms that characterize sinusitis infection are nasal discharge, congestion, postnasal drip, headache, and facial pain.   If the sinus infection lasts more than twelve weeks, it is classified as a chronic sinusitis.  There are additional symptoms that can accompany chronic sinusitis, such as fatigue, dental pain, as well as loss of taste and smell.  Moreover, there are also some medications which can precipitate sinus infections such as aspirin and topical nasal decongestants.  

The sinusitis medication treatment options available for a sinusitis infection include many over the counter medications like decongestants, antihistamines, expectorants, and nasal sprays.  Decongestants function by shrinking swollen mucous membranes that are in the nasal passageways and sinus cavity openings and provide symptom relief.  The purpose of a decongestant is to allow for easy breathing during a sinus infection, unblocking the airways.  Spray decongestants also are available and provide immediate relief, but due to the active ingredient oxymetazoline or phenylephrine can become habit forming as well as inducing a rebound effect.  If spray decongestants are used for too long and the medication wears off, the swelling in the nasal cavity returns and is more severe than it was prior to the last application of decongestant.  Hence, a dependency on nasal sprays can easily develop which may require steroids to assist with the withdrawal period as well as reducing inflammation.  The rebound effect from a decongestant spray can occur for anyone using a decongestant spray from a bad cold to an acute sinusitis infection.  Decongestants are typically either sedating or stimulating.  The stimulating decongestants have properties that can cause sleeplessness, anxiety, rapid heartbeat and jitteriness, while the sedating decongestants can cause blurred vision, drowsiness, or sleepiness.

A common treatment for alleviating sinusitis is a nasal spray which can be by prescription or over the counter. A nasal spray can remove debris from the lower sinuses however it cannot deliver medication to the upper sinus cavity due to the large particle size that is emitted from the spray.  Nasal sprays can be saline, steroid, decongestant, antihistamine and others.  The droplet from a nasal can flush the lowee sinus regions but it is difficult for a sufficient amount of nasal spray medication to travel into the sinus cavity and cleanse the infected area or deliver medication.  Saline nasal sprays are commonly utilized to provide moisture to dry and irritated sinus and nasal passages.  Nasal saline sprays function to remove pollen, dust, and other irritants that are airborne and can provide allergy and sinus relief and will be typically classified as isotonic or hypertonic referring to the quantity of salt solution.  A salty saline solution is useful in cutting through the mucus in the nasal passages.  Hypertonic saline solutions have a higher concentration of salt, and are preferred for cutting through very thick mucus.

Sinusitis medication treatment includes nasal spray steroids which are nasal sprays that are hand pumped sprays that instill a fine mist into the nostril and reduce inflammation in the sinus and nasal passageways.  Steroids or corticosteroids are organic or synthetic fat soluble compounds that provide important physiological actions and are any of the steroid hormones made by the cortex of the adrenal gland.  Steroid nasal sprays are recommended to reduce inflammation that develop during a sinusitis infection and prevent histamine production.  A steroid will help with swelling in nasal membranes, nasal secretions, shrink nasal polyps, and provide an improvement in breathing due to the airways being opened up.  Unlike spray decongestants, the benefits from the nasal steroid typically takes three to five days to open up the sinus passages.  Steroids can be prescribed orally as well, however when a steroid is prescribed orally it is one of the last treatment options after all others have failed.

•          Antihistamines are medications that are helpful in clearing up excess mucus from allergic reactions that often trigger sinusitis infection such as Benadryl, Claritin or Sudafed.  An antihistamine is a pharmaceutical drug that inhibits the production of histamine by blocking histamine receptors.  Antihistamine’s are used to treat allergy symptoms such as runny nose, itchy throat, sneezing and watery eyes and are easily available without a prescription.  Anthistamines are commonly taken in combination with other medications during the course of a sinusitis infection.  The antihistamine disrupts the allergic reaction, allowing for the body to begin the healing process, at least temporarily.  Antihistamines are often made with a decongestant to assist in drying out the sinus and nasal passages.  Antihistamines are “any drug that neutralizes the effects of histamine, used especially in the treatment of allergies.” If antihistamines fail to provide adequate pain relief an analgesic can be recommended such as Alieve or Advil.  Analgesics typically are mild over the counter anti-inflammatories that are often taken in combination with antibiotics, decongestants and antihistamines to provide symptom relief for sinusitis.

A Physician’s bad habit

Most physicians prescribe an oral antibiotic to treat sinusitis.  However, oral antibiotics are known to be marginally effective in treating a sinusitis infection.  Oral antibiotics unfortunately rely on the blood stream and blood vessels exclusively to carry medication to the infected sinus cavity.  Relying on the sinus cavities to provide the medication through the limited supply of blood vessels in the sinus cavity is problematic as the blood vessels cannot deliver an effective dose of medication to the actual site of infection.  Recurrent sinusitis infections are common with the use of oral antibiotics due to the scant amount of blood vessels that are thus unable to deliver an effective dose to the site of infection.  The sinus cavities blood vessels which are swollen and infected providing all the treatment to the sinusitis infection results in an ineffective method for treating this area of the body.   In short, it is difficult to effectively treat any sinusitis infection with oral antibiotics. 

When nasal sprays, oral antibiotics and steroids fail the patient, many physicians will recommend sinus surgery.  Sinus surgery is marginally effective in reducing inflammation and removing the entire infection.  Typically, following a sinus surgery there are remnants of infection which remain and later develop into another sinusitis infection that requires surgery.  

Sinus Dynamics’ treatment method for treating sinusitis using a state of the art nebulizer with custom compounded antibiotics, anti-fungals, and anti-inflammatories is highly effective and innovative treatment for sinusitis.  Call Sinus Dynamics (877) 447-4276 to begin a sinus therapy program that topically treats sinus infections with a nebulized mist of medication that is dispatched into the nasal cavity.  The nebulized medication has a 3.2 micron particle size and it is emitted directly into the sinus cavity easily and quickly.  Sinus Dynamics medications enter the blood stream only to the infected area.  Medication is not lost in treating the body and, because it is a topical treatment it has a low systemic absorption rate resulting in little or no side effects.  Sinus Dynamics’ sinus therapy treatment method has a 98% success for the treatment of sinus infections with patients stating their sinus infection symptoms cleared rapidly and without difficulty.

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