Can Flonase Help A Sinus Infection

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.

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Is Afrin Or Flonase More Effective

Afrins onset of action is 10 minutes, which provides patients with quick relief of nasal symptoms. Unfortunately, it is only recommended for use short term: three days or less. The full effect of Flonase may not be realized for a week or longer, but it is safe to be used long term. Flonase is also indicated to treat more than nasal congestion. It relieves multiple symptoms of the allergic response, including runny nose, sneezing, and itching eyes. Afrin has no effect on these allergic response factors.

One study looked at the concurrent use of oxymetazoline and fluticasone to determine if they could augment the response of each on congestion. It compared three treatment groups: placebo, oxymetazoline alone, and fluticasone with oxymetazoline. In this study, oxymetazoline was used for longer than the recommended duration of three days. Nasal air volume was significantly higher in the group using both oxymetazoline and fluticasone. It was also noted that rebound congestion was not present, suggesting that effect with oxymetazoline alone should be studied further. Your healthcare provider can help determine which product are best for you.

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How Safe Are Nasal Steroid Sprays

As you may have seen from other posts on this blog, intranasal corticosteroids sprays are common treatments for nasal and sinus problems. Often these sprays need to be used daily, and if patients stop using the sprays their symptoms may recur.

Pro Tip: You may need to use nasal steroid sprays for several weeks to feel the full effects! Stick with it to make sure you give them a chance to work.

One of the most common questions we hear about nasal steroids sprays is whether they are safe to use long term, or every day. Steroids in general have a bad reputation for potential side effects, and people can often be wary about taking these medications for extended periods of time.

The good news is almost all of the intranasal corticosteroids currently used have been well studied for safety, have excellent safety profiles, and minimal side effects. People with chronic rhinosinusitis or allergic rhinitis sometimes have to take intranasal corticosteroids for years, and studies on these patients show no significant long-term side effects. This is largely because the newer nasal steroid sprays are not absorbed into the body or the bloodstream in significant amounts. For some of the nasal steroid sprays available today, less than 1% of the dose to the nose is absorbed into the bloodstream. Because of this, the side effects of nasal steroid sprays are typically limited to the nose.

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What Other Drugs Will Affect Flonase

Tell your doctor about all your other medicines, especially:

• antifungal medicine or

• antiviral medicine to treat hepatis C or HIV/AIDS.

This list is not complete. Other drugs may interact with fluticasone nasal, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible drug interactions are listed here.

Can I Use Afrin Or Flonase While Pregnant

There have been adverse fetal events associated with Afrin use in the first trimester of pregnancy. Although one-time use in late pregnancy has not been shown to be harmful, Afrin is not a preferred nasal decongestant in pregnancy. Flonase may be safe to use during pregnancy, however other decongestant or steroid sprays may have more safety data available. Consult your physician for the preferred nasal decongestant choice.

4.7/5FLONASEnasalnasal decongestantsnasal decongestantfull detail here

No interactions were found between Flonase and Sudafed Congestion. This does not necessarily mean no interactions exist. Always consult your healthcare provider.

can you take Flonase with mucinex? No interactions were found between Flonase and Mucinex. This does not necessarily mean no interactions exist. Always consult your healthcare provider.

People also ask, can you take a nasal decongestant with Flonase?

No interactions were found between Flonase and pseudoephedrine. This does not necessarily mean no interactions exist. Always consult your healthcare provider.

Can you take Flonase and Afrin at the same time?

No interactions were found between Afrin and Flonase. This does not necessarily mean no interactions exist. Always consult your healthcare provider.

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Can You Get Rid Of A Sinus Infection Without Antibiotics

Many sinus infections are caused by a virus like the common cold and do not require antibiotics for treatment. If you have mild symptoms, OTC medications may help relieve your symptoms until you feel better. However, consult your healthcare provider if symptoms worsen or do not improve after seven days, or if at any time you have intense/severe pain or pressure, or a high fever.

Steroid Nasal Sprays Seem To Speed Sinusitis Recovery

Date:

Duke University Medical Center

Summary:

A new Duke University Medical Center study shows that patients with sinus infections recover faster and manifest symptoms for a shorter period of time when using fluticasone, a steroid nasal spray, in addition to treatment with antibiotics and decongestants.

DURHAM, N.C. — A new Duke University Medical Center study shows that patients with sinus infections recover faster and manifest symptoms for a shorter period of time when using fluticasone, a steroid nasal spray, in addition to treatment with antibiotics and decongestants.

Researchers believe these results indicate that steroid nasal sprays should be part of a recommended treatment regimen for patients with recurrent episodes of acute rhinosinusitis or chronic sinusitis. The study is in the Dec. 26, 2001, issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

In the United States, patients make 25 million visits annually for sinusitis symptoms. Nasal sprays containing corticosteriods such as fluticasone propionate are used primarily to control symptoms of allergies and post-nasal drip by reducing inflammation and swelling in the sinuses. The Duke researchers, led by Dr. Rowena Dolor, believed that these same nasal sprays, called intranasal corticosteriods, when combined with antibiotics, might speed the recovery time in patients with acute sinus infections.

GlaxoSmithKline, maker of fluticasone and cefuroxime , funded and supplied the medication for the study.

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Flonase Vs Nasacort: 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

Runny nose, itchy, watery eyestis the season for seasonal allergies. If you suffer from seasonal or perennial allergies, you are not sneezing alone. More than 50 million Americans suffer from allergies each year.

Flonase and Nasacort are two popular medications used for allergy relief. They are in a class of medications called glucocorticoids, more commonly known as steroids. Nasal steroids work by decreasing swelling and congestion in your nose, improving symptoms. Although both medications are known as steroids, they do have some notable differences, which we will outline below.

What Are The Symptoms Of A Sinus Headache

Sinus headaches often cause the following symptoms:

• Pressure and pain in your face or head
• Pain that gets worse when you bend over, move suddenly, or lie down
• Pain thats worse in the morning
• Pain that gets worse when youre exposed to sudden temperature changes
• Swelling in your face
• Pain in your upper teeth

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Can Humans Sense Barometric Pressure

Have you been told youre a human barometer who can sense changes in barometric pressure? Youre not crazy and youre not alone. It is possible to feel that storm coming in your bones or in your head. Barometric pressure is atmospheric pressure, the weight of the atmosphere, said headache specialist Dr.

I Have Chronic Sinus Infections And Thus A Chronic Post

When you are suffering from chronic sinus infections, chances are that you are also regularly dealing with a slew of sinusitis symptoms, including post-nasal drip and sore throat. And if your sinus infections havent responded to regular treatment, you may feel out of options. Fortunately, thats not the case.

Balloon sinuplasty is a minimally invasive new sinus treatment that helps restore proper drainage. During the procedure, your sinus doctor uses a tiny endoscopic balloon to widen your nasal passages and open up your blocked sinuses. The procedure takes less than 30 minutes, can be performed in-office, requires very little recovery time, and provides long-term relief. It is a wonderful alternative to traditional sinus surgery, which often necessitates the cutting of bone or tissue.

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Medications For Sinus Disorders

Antibiotics

Antibiotics help fight bacterial infections. Theyâre useful for treating bacterial sinus infections but will not help a cold caused by a virus. Many bacteria that were once treatable by common antibiotics have become resistant, so doctors in the UPMC Sino-Nasal and Allergy Center are careful when prescribing antibiotics for sinus problems. A culture of the bacteria found in the sinuses will provide guidelines to the best sinus antibiotic to use.

While taking an antibiotic, it may help to restore the good bacteria in your system by taking probiotics or acidophilus tablets. You can also eat foods that contain large amounts of benign bacteria, such as yogurt or kefir.

Antihistamines

The body releases histamine during an allergy attack. Histamine causes sneezing, itching, and welting. Antihistamines block the histamine receptors that cause allergic reactions.

Newer antihistamines like Zyrtec , Clarinex , Allegra , and Claritin have a very low rate of causing side effects, compared to older antihistamines. They do not cause drowsiness, except for Zyrtec. Zyrtec may impair performance or cause sedation, but much less often than the older antihistamines.

Sudafed is now a behind-the-counter decongestant. Phenylephrine is less effective than pseudoephedrine. All oral decongestants can cause side effects such as urinary retention, insomnia, and jitteriness.

Leukotriene modulators

Leukotrienes are potent agents of broncho constriction.

Mucus thinners

Common Side Effects Of Afrin Vs Flonase

Afrin is known to cause a temporary, local irritation to the nasal mucosa, and this can induce sneezing. This should pass within a few minutes of administration. If Afrin is used for more than three days, patients may experience rebound congestion. This phenomenon, also known as rhinitis medicamentosa, is believed to be caused when the vasoconstriction induced by Afrin cuts off blood supply to the local tissues. This leads to swelling and inflammation. The sensation of the rebound congestion is said to feel worse than the original congestion Afrin was treating.

Flonase has a relatively high incidence of headaches with as much as 16% of patients experiencing headache after Flonase administration. Another very common side effect is nose bleeds or epistaxis.

Both Afrin and Flonase can cause local irritation of the nasal mucosa.

The following chart is not intended to be a complete list of all possible side effects. Please consult your doctor or pharmacist for a list of all possible side effects.

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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

Warning Disclaimer Use For Publication

WARNING: Please DO NOT STOP MEDICATIONS without first consulting a physician since doing so could be hazardous to your health.

DISCLAIMER: All material available on eHealthMe.com is for informational purposes only, and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment provided by a qualified healthcare provider. All information is observation-only. Our phase IV clinical studies alone cannot establish cause-effect relationship. Different individuals may respond to medication in different ways. Every effort has been made to ensure that all information is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. The use of the eHealthMe site and its content is at your own risk.

If you use this eHealthMe study on publication, please acknowledge it with a citation: study title, URL, accessed date.

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Prednisone For Sinus Infection: Does It Work

A sinus infection, commonly known as sinusitis, is when your sinuses get infected, causing them to become swollen or inflamed. These are mainly due to bacterial, fungal, or viral infection, as in the common cold. Sinuses are the hollow parts or cavities within your skull, which are found behind the nose, forehead, and cheeks. These cavities are lined with a protective layer of mucus, meant to fight against external irritants like dust.

When your sinuses get inflamed, this can cause an excessive amount of mucus to build-up within your cavities. In turn, this causes pain and discomfort, making your head feel extremely stuffy and heavy. Sinusitis is quite a common condition in the US, with about 30 million people being diagnosed with it each year. Prednisone is a prescription steroid intended to reduce inflammation within the body. As sinusitis is an inflammation of the sinuses, does prednisone work in treating it? Lets find out.

Will My Sinus Infection Clear Up On Its Own

The first few weeks of the common cold arent fun, but the acute sinusitis that can pop up afterwards doesnt help either. Sinus congestion and the common cold, unfortunately, go hand in hand. Acute sinusitis frequently is caused by the common cold, but also can be caused by allergies and bacterial and fungal infections.

Sinus infections are caused when the cavities around your nasal passages become inflamed and swollen, which eventually interferes with drainage and causes mucus to build up. This tends to get annoying, because it makes breathing through the nose difficult. It also affects the area around your eyes and face, and can cause a throbbing headache.

When a sinus infection hits, its always worse than what you remembered from the last time you had one. This may give you the idea that you need antibiotics, but most clear up without them. Antibiotics have no effect on viruses and arent recommended within the first week of developing a cold. About 70 percent of sinus infections go away within two weeks without antibiotics.

Consider these other forms of treatments instead of antibiotics:

• Over-the-counter pain relievers. Aspirins, acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help relieve temporary pain.
• Saline nasal spray. This is used to spray into your nose several times a day to rinse your nasal passages. They can help to prevent and treat inflammation.

Antibiotics only will be needed if the infection is severe, recurrent or persistent.

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Common Causes Of Sinus Infections

Some of us get a sinus infection occasionally, while others find they are a chronic problem. According to research conducted by a sinus specialist in Boston, compared to patients with other chronic conditions like heart failure and back pain, those patients that suffer with sinusitis report the highest level of pain, and the lowest level of social function. They have problems working, and it affects both their energy level and mental health.

The sinus cavity, located between the eyes and nose, acts as a filter for the air we breathe before it reaches the lungs. There is always bacteria in the nose and its mostly harmless, but should the lining of the sinus cavity and nose come in contact with certain bacteria, a virus, or an allergen, they can become swollen, inflamed, and congested. The result is a back-up of mucus and lack of drainage.

If the nose is too dry and no mucus is flowing, this can also trigger a sinus infection.

How Can You Tell If You Have Chronic Sinusitis

Does it feel like your sinus infection just wont quit? If you experience at least two of the following for 12 weeks or more even though youve been treated it may be chronic sinusitis:

• A stuffed nose
• Discharge of mucus or postnasal drip
• Pain or pressure in your face
• Problems with smell

Chronic sinus infections can be triggered by colds but are typically caused by long-term inflammation. Sometimes, when treatments to control that inflammation fail, people with chronic sinusitis need surgery to drain their mucus.

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What Should I Know About Storage And Disposal Of This Medication

Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess light, heat and moisture .

It is important to keep all medication out of sight and reach of children as many containers are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily. To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in a safe location â one that is up and away and out of their sight and reach.

Unneeded medications should be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children, and other people cannot consume them. However, you should not flush this medication down the toilet. Instead, the best way to dispose of your medication is through a medicine take-back program. Talk to your pharmacist or contact your local garbage/recycling department to learn about take-back programs in your community. See the FDAs Safe Disposal of Medicines website for more information if you do not have access to a take-back program.