Microb Drug Resist. Low DE, Desrosiers M, McSherry J, Garber G, Williams JW, Remy H, et al. A practical guide for the diagnosis and treatment of acute sinusitis. Dr. Hamilos is associate professor of medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis. Managing Sinusitis Symptoms Patients need to understand that they can't rely solely on antibiotics to treat rhinosinusitis because the mucus needs to be drained from the sinuses, explains Wellington S. Tichenor, MD, assistant professor of clinical medicine at New York Medical College, and allergist at a private practice in Manhattan.
Decongestants open the ostia through which the mucus drains.
Steroid nasal sprays can reduce inflammation, and other anti-inflammatory medications such as aspirin and ibuprofen can help relieve pain in patients who are not allergic to them. Irrigation systems can help drain mucus in post-surgery patients and rhinosinusitis sufferers who have not undergone surgery. Make sure patients know that they need to use an irrigator tip that is adapted for the nose, Dr. Tichenor advises. Antifungal irrigations can help treat fungal sinusitis infections, but the antifungal agents often have to be refrigerated and protected from light, sometimes making their storage inconvenient. Saline sprays also wash out mucus and moisturize the nose.