“Sinus infection and should I begin to worry”
So I’ve always had sinus infections when the winter months begin to start that last maybe 1-2 days. But this one has lasted for 8 days and I know have liquid boogers coming out of my eyes which are pure sinus red and I’m getting tk the point where I’m so congested I can’t breathe and my throat feels likes it’s closing or tightening to the point of where I can barely drink any fluids or breathe. Should I go to a doctor or is this just a bad viral infection? The eye thing has me worried the most
Male | 15 years old
Complaint duration: 7-8 days
Medications: Just multivitamins and some vitamin c to get rid of this hopefully
Conditions: None
1 Answer
Ear,NoseandThroatDoctor(ENT)ent
A sinus infection does not last 1-2 days. Thats a common cold. This time, it sounds like you actually have a bacterial sinus infection. Use Afrin nasal spray twice daily for 3 days, flonase nasal spray daily for 14 days, and you may go visit your primary care to get antibiotics. Or as you read below, you will probably get better on your own.
From the American Academy of Family Practice.org:
The signs and symptoms of acute bacterial rhinosinusitis and prolonged viral upper respiratory infection are similar, which makes accurate clinical diagnosis difficult. Because two thirds of patients with acute bacterial rhinosinusitis improve without antibiotic treatment and most patients with viral upper respiratory infection improve within seven days, antibiotic therapy should be reserved for use in patients who have had symptoms for more than seven days and meet clinical criteria.
Four signs and symptoms are the most helpful in predicting acute bacterial rhinosinusitis: purulent nasal discharge, maxillary tooth or facial pain (especially unilateral), unilateral maxillary sinus tenderness, and worsening symptoms after initial improvement.
From the American Academy of Family Practice.org:
The signs and symptoms of acute bacterial rhinosinusitis and prolonged viral upper respiratory infection are similar, which makes accurate clinical diagnosis difficult. Because two thirds of patients with acute bacterial rhinosinusitis improve without antibiotic treatment and most patients with viral upper respiratory infection improve within seven days, antibiotic therapy should be reserved for use in patients who have had symptoms for more than seven days and meet clinical criteria.
Four signs and symptoms are the most helpful in predicting acute bacterial rhinosinusitis: purulent nasal discharge, maxillary tooth or facial pain (especially unilateral), unilateral maxillary sinus tenderness, and worsening symptoms after initial improvement.
