Amoxicillin Or Z Pack For Sinus Infection

What Is A Sinus Infection

The sinuses are cavities in the head that are filled with air. These air-filled pockets are lined with a very thin layer of mucus that functions to collect particles from the air that are breathed in, such as dust, germs, or other particles.

Very small hair-like projections function to sweep the mucus, along with any particles trapped inside of the mucus. The germ- or dirt-filled mucus then slides down the back of the throat and into the stomach where stomach acid works to kill any germs.

When a sinus infection occurs, this natural process involving mucus flow is blocked.

Using The Right Water During Saline Rinses

When using saline nasal rinses, tap water should always be boiled and then allowed to cool to ensure cleanliness distilled water or premixed solutions could also be used instead of regular tap water.

Other home remedies for sinus infections include:

• Drinking fluids: Drinking lots of fluids helps loosen and thin mucus. Avoid beverages that are caffeinated and alcoholic beverages that can dehydrate the body, which could thicken mucus.
• Breathing steam: Warm water is best . You can breathe in steam from either a bowl or shower.
• Humidifying the air: Use a cool air vaporizer or humidifier,particularly at night while sleeping.
• Avoiding environmental substances: Avoid tobacco smoke and chlorinated water that can dry up the mucus membranes and exacerbate symptoms.
• Implementing treatment measures: At the first sign of infection, use antihistamines and employ regular nasal rinses.

Drug Interactions Of Azithromycin Vs Amoxicillin

Taking azithromycin in combination with an anticoagulant such as warfarin may affect bleeding patients should be monitored. Drug interactions may occur with digoxin or colchicine. Drugs that prolong the QT interval, including certain antiarrhythmics, should not be taken with azithromycin due to the risk of life-threatening or fatal arrhythmia.

Taking amoxicillin with an anticoagulant like warfarin may affect bleeding patients should be monitored. Allopurinol in combination with amoxicillin can lead to a greater incidence of rash.

Oral contraceptives, when taken in combination with antibiotics, can be less effective. Consult your healthcare provider about the need for backup birth control, such as a condom, while you are on an antibiotic.

This is not a complete list of drug interactions. Other drug interactions may occur. Consult your healthcare provider for medical advice.

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Which Is Better For Sinus Infection Amoxicillin Or Azithromycin

A sinus infection may be caused by a virus or by bacteria . If your prescriber diagnoses you with a bacterial sinus infection, azithromycin or amoxicillin are appropriate, and very common, treatments. Your prescriber will also take into account allergies and other drugs you take that may interact with azithromycin or amoxicillin.

When To Seek Medical Care

See a doctor if you have:

• Severe symptoms, such as severe headache or facial pain.
• Symptoms that get worse after initially improving.
• Symptoms lasting more than 10 days without improvement.
• Fever longer than 3-4 days.

You should also seek medical care if you have had multiple sinus infections in the past year.

This list is not all-inclusive. Please see a doctor for any symptom that is severe or concerning.

Other conditions can cause symptoms similar to a sinus infection, including:

• Seasonal allergies
• Colds

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Azithromycin Vs Amoxicillin: Differences Similarities And Which Is Better For You

Drug overview & main differences | Conditions treated | Efficacy | Insurance coverage and cost comparison | Side effects | Drug interactions | Warnings | FAQ

If you have ever suffered from a bacterial sinus infection or a variety of other types of bacterial infections, chances are you have taken an antibiotic. Azithromycin and amoxicillin are two of the most common antibiotics used in the treatment of bacterial infections. Antibiotics are used in the treatment of bacterial infections, and will not work for viral infections such as the flu or common cold.

Azithromycin is also known by its brand name Zithromax . It is classified in a group of medications called macrolide antibiotics. Azithromycin works by binding to the bacteria and preventing the bacteria from producing proteins that it needs to survive. Azithromycin is commonly used to treat bacterial infections like sinus infections, pneumonia, and certain sexually transmitted diseases, to name a few.

Amoxicillin is known by its brand name of Amoxil, and it is classified in a group of medications called penicillin antibiotics. Amoxicillin works by preventing bacteria from forming cell walls, which kills the bacteria. Amoxicillin is commonly used to treat bacterial infections such as ear infections, pneumonia, and throat infections, among others.

Although both medications are antibiotics, they have many differences. Continue reading to learn more about azithromycin and amoxicillin.

Is This The Correct Antibiotic

The good news is that most children with ear infections do get the right prescription. In a separate report in JAMA Internal Medicine, Dr. Adam Hersh of the University of Utah and colleagues found that 67 percent two-thirds of children with ear infections got the correct prescription. But only 37 percent of adults with sore throats and sinus infections did.

This study provides evidence of substantial overuse of nonfirst-line antibiotics.”

The teams used two big national surveys from 2010 and 2011, which they said were the latest available. We do not have reason to believe practice patterns have substantially changed, Hershs team wrote.

Medical experts have been complaining about the misuse of antibiotics for two decades, but the message still is not getting through, Hyun said.

Patients also need to get tough on themselves and their doctors. Ask: “Is an antibiotic really needed? Is this the correct antibiotic? he said.

The CDC says more than 2 million people are infected by drug-resistant germs each year, and 23,000 die of their infections

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The Wrong Drug For The Bug

Hersh and colleagues looked at two years’ worth of information from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, an annual government survey of patients treated in doctors offices, hospital outpatient clinics, and emergency rooms.

They found that instead of prescribing antibiotics targeted to the type of bacteria most likely causing the infection, many doctors were too quick to reach for broad spectrum drugs that kill a wider range of bugs.

Thats a problem for several reasons, Hersh says. The wrong antibiotic may not work as well as the recommended treatment, or, in some cases, carries a much higher risk of serious side effects, he says.

For example, fluoroquinolone antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin which are frequently prescribed inappropriately for sinus infections in adultscan cause permanent and debilitating damage to muscles, tendons, and nerves.

He also points out that broad-spectrum antibiotics kill more of the bodys protective bacteria, leaving people vulnerable to opportunistic infections from bugs such as Clostridium difficile, or C. diff, which causes a potentially deadly form of diarrhea.

And they are more likely than narrowly targeted drugs to lead to antibiotic resistance.

How Long Does A Sinus Infection Last After Treatment

Youre also likely to feel more tired and achy, and maybe even experience a low-grade fever. Most people improve within a week, but symptoms can last up to 2 weeks. Coughs can linger for a week after that. Treating a sinus infection boils down to whether its viral or bacterial. Colds, for example, are viral.

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How Long Does It Take For Antibiotics To Kick In For Sinus Infection

Our sinuses are hard to reach, so it can be two to three days before antibiotic treatment begins to take effect. It is critical to continue the whole course of antibiotics, even if you start to feel better. If you dont finish the whole course, your body could begin to build a resistance to those antibiotics.

Is Azithromycin Or Amoxicillin More Effective

When considering which drug is more effective, its important to look at what the drug is being used to treat. For example, where is the infection? What bacteria is causing the infection? As you can see in the list of indications, each antibiotic can treat a wide variety of infections.

One study compared a single dose of azithromycin to a 10-day regimen of amoxicillin-clavulanate for children with ear infections. The researchers found both drugs to be effective and well-tolerated.

Another study done in Brazil looked at approximately 100 patients with infectious exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The study found both drugs to be effective and well-tolerated.

If you think you have a bacterial infection, see your healthcare provider as soon as possible. He or she can examine and assess you, and determine the need for antibiotics, and which one is most appropriate for you based on your symptoms and medical history, along with other drugs you take that may interact with azithromycin or amoxicillin.

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Common Side Effects Of Azithromycin Vs Amoxicillin

The most common side effects of azithromycin are diarrhea, nausea, and abdominal pain. Other side effects, which are less common, and occur in less than 1% of patients, include vomiting, flatulence, dizziness, headache, sleepiness, and rash.

The most common side effects of amoxicillin are related to penicillin sensitivity. They include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, a black/hairy tongue, and rash/hypersensitivity reactions. Percentages are not available relating to occurrence rates.

In general, with antibiotic treatment, you may be more susceptible to a yeast infection. Ask your healthcare provider if you should take a probiotic.

This is not a full list of side effects. Other side effects may occur. Consult your healthcare provider for a full list of potential adverse events.

Sore Throat Ear Or Sinus Infection You May Be Getting The Wrong Antibiotics

They think part of the problem is that patients ask for easy-to-remember names such as Z-Pack and the study found that azithromycin, the Zithromax drug that gives Z-Packs the name, is among the most commonly misused drugs.

Overall, only 52 percent of patients treated with antibiotics for sinus infections, middle ear infections and pharyngitis received the first-line treatments recommended by prescribing guidelines, Dr. David Hyun, an infectious disease specialist at the Pew Charitable Trusts, told NBC News.

This is on top of findings released earlier this year that show at least a third of people who get antibiotics dont even need them. Taken together, the two studies show a lot of bad prescribing of antibiotics, the researchers wrote in the full report published in the Journal of the American Medical Associations JAMA internal Medicine.

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How To Take It

Azithromycin is a prescription medication. Therefore, people should not take it without a prescription.

The drug is available in the form of a tablet, an oral suspension solution, an eye drop, and an injection. The best type and dosage depends on the infection a person has.

People can take the drug with or without food. They should thoroughly shake the liquid form before use.

Some examples of common dosages include:

• has a significant underlying health problem, such as immune system problems

People should not rely on azithromycin to treat syphilis.

A person should speak to a doctor about any existing heart, kidney, and liver conditions before taking azithromycin, including an irregular heartbeat and especially QT prolongation.

Acute Bacterial Rhinosinusitis In Adults: Part Ii Treatment

DEWEY C. SCHEID, M.D., M.P.H., and ROBERT. M. HAMM, PH.D.,University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Am Fam Physician. 2004 Nov 1 70:1697-1704.

• References

In this article, the evidence supporting different treatments for acute bacterial rhinosinusitis is reviewed. In part one1 of this two-part article, clinical criteria for evaluating ABRS are described.

Amoxicillin for 10 to 14 days is a reasonable first-line agent.

Amoxicillin for 10 to 14 days is a reasonable first-line agent.

• References

Figure 1

Figure 1

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When Is A Z

Spoiler alert: its not! Because its so easy to use, the Z-Pak used to be a go-to prescription for sinus infections. But it turns out that only a minority of these prescriptions are appropriate because the majority of sinus infections are viral and not bacterial. In fact, studies have found that about a third of antibiotic prescriptions for sinus infections, sore throats, and ear infections arent even necessary. Overprescribing antibiotics increases the chance that bacteria will become resistant to them and disrupt the gut bacterial flora for months. Indeed, azithromycin is no longer recommended for bacterial sinus infections due to the risk of resistance.

If you have a sinus infection, expect to feel lousy for several days. After all, your body is waging war against an infection. You might experience:

• A runny nose

• A sore throat

• A cough

Youre also likely to feel more tired and achy and maybe even experience a low-grade fever. Most people improve within a week, but symptoms can last up to 2 weeks. Coughs can linger for a week after that.

Treating a sinus infection boils down to whether its viral or bacterial. Colds, for example, are viral. And antibiotics like the Z-Pak are not effective against viral infections. In fact, viral sinus infections have no cure. Treatment is aimed at managing symptoms and includes:

If you still dont feel better, your healthcare provider may suggest nasal or lung inhalers for other symptoms.

• Diarrhea

When Does Antibiotic Resistance Occur

Antibiotic resistance occurs in a persons own body and within the community when certain drugs no longer work for a specific type of germ. This can occur when bacteria change in response to exposure to antibiotics so that the antibiotics no longer work efficiently against the bacteria.

Therefore, allergists and other specialists recommend limiting the use of antibiotics unless:

• Symptoms last over seven to 10 days
• Specific symptoms are present
• A fever is present

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Antibiotics Will Not Solve A Tooth Infection

I have what I suspect is a tooth infection. Im not a big fan of dentists. I do have some antibiotics at my house that my doctor had prescribed for me in case I got sick during the quarantine. I tend to get a sinus infection about once a quarter. Can I just fill that antibiotic and deal with it that way? Its a Z-pack.

Fannie

Dear Fannie,

Im glad you wrote. Using antibiotics to treat a tooth infection is a common misconception. Dental infections work differently. Theyre considered a dental emergency. Heres why. When a tooth is infected, it doesnt take long for the pulp of the tooth to die. When that happens, there is no blood flow in the tooth. When this happens, there is no way for the antibiotic to get to the infection. The only way to solve it at that point is for a dentist to get in there and physically remove the infected tissue.

There are two ways to do this. The first is to get a root canal treatment and dental crown. This is ideal because it saves your tooth. Natural tooth structure is always best. However, if you dont get to the dentist in time, it is very likely your tooth wont be able to be saved. Instead, the tooth will have to be extracted. If this happens, youre then looking at the necessity to replace a tooth.

How Long Can A Fever Last With Sinus Infection

When to see the doctor for sinus infection Symptoms that last more than 10 days without improvement and are worsening after you started to improve is cause for concern. If you have symptoms like severe headache or facial pain and a fever that lasts longer than three to four days, you should seek immediate medical care.

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How Long Before Z Pack Works For A Sinus Infection

. Regarding this, is Z pack good for sinus infection?

The Z–Pak is a 5-day course of azithromycin , an antibiotic. It’s used to treat certain bacterial infections, including some sinus infections and upper respiratory tract infections that lead to headaches, sore throat, congestion, and runny noses.

Additionally, what is the strongest antibiotic for sinus infection? Amoxicillin is acceptable for uncomplicated acute sinus infections however, many doctors prescribe amoxicillin-clavulanate as the first-line antibiotic to treat a possible bacterial infection of the sinuses. Amoxicillin usually is effective against most of the strains of bacteria.

how long does it take for a Zpack to work?

A Z–Pack typically takes at least five days to fully work, but it can start to relieve your sore throat and other symptoms on the first day you take it. If your doctor prescribes a generic version of azithromycin, your treatment may only last three days.

Why won’t my sinus infection go away with antibiotics?

For others, however, sinusitis won’t go away until you seek treatment. If this is the case, a sinus infection left untreated may cause further complications . It is treated by antibiotics and drainage of sinus fluids.

But Sometimes Antibiotics For Sinus Infections Are Needed

So how does one judge when it is appropriate to prescribe antibiotics for a sinus infection? There are several sets of official guidelines, which are all similar. When a patient has thick, colorful nasal discharge and/or facial pressure or pain for at least 10 days, they meet criteria for antibiotic treatment. If a patient has had those symptoms, but the symptoms seemed to start improving and then got worse again, then even if its been less than 10 days, they meet criteria for antibiotic treatment.

The authors, however, also suggest that doctors discuss watchful waiting with patients and explain that most sinus infections clear up on their own in one to two weeks, and its a safe option to hold off on antibiotics. The symptoms can then be treated with a cocktail of over-the-counter medications and supportive care, like nasal saline irrigation, nasal steroid sprays, decongestants, and pain medications.

Of course, many patients expect and demand antibiotics for sinus infections, and even those who are open to watchful waiting may hear about the rare but possible complications of things like, oh, brain abscess, and opt to treat.

In the case of my patient above, she met criteria for treatment. She weighed the watchful waiting option against the potential risks of antibiotics for her sinus infection, and chose the prescription. I can tell you from very close follow-up that she improved quickly, though in truth, we will never really know if she would have gotten better anyway.

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