Bacitracin ointment can usually cure these infections. A person usually takes an antibiotic and applies moist hot cloths three times a day for about 15 to 20 minutes at a time. Boils in this area are allowed to drain on their own because if they are cut open, the infection could spread to the veins, enabling the bacteria to travel to the brain. The spread of bacteria to the brain can cause a life-threatening condition called cavernous sinus thrombosis. The nose is the most commonly infected part of the upper airways.
Acute rhinitis is the usual sign of a cold.
It can be caused by a variety of viruses and by bacteria. If it's caused by bacteria, a doctor identifies the bacteria and prescribes an appropriate antibiotic. If the rhinitis is caused by a virus, antibiotics are not effective. In either case, symptoms can be relieved by taking phenylephrine as a nasal spray or pseudoephedrine by mouth. These drugs, available over the counter, cause the blood vessels of the nasal mucous membrane to constrict.