Medicines may be needed when symptoms of sinusitis are severe or do not improve. The goals of treatment with medicine are to:

• Treat the infection, which is usually caused by bacteria if your symptoms have lasted more than 7 to 10 days.
• Relieve pressure and pain caused by poor sinus drainage.
• Reduce inflammation of the nose and sinuses.

Medication Choices

Medicines are used and sometimes combined to treat sinusitis.

• Antibiotics kill bacteria. Examples of antibiotics used are amoxicillin and cefdinir (Omnicef).
• Decongestants reduce the swelling of the mucous membranes in the nose. Some examples may include oxymetazoline (for example, Afrin) and phenylephrine (for example, Neo-Synephrine). Read the rest of this entry »