Don’t rush to antibiotics

Millions of people are prescribed antibiotics each year for sinusitis, a frequent complication of the common cold, hay fever, and other respiratory allergies. In fact, 15 to 21 percent of all antibiotic prescriptions for adults in outpatient care are for treating sinusitis. Unfortunately, most of those people don’t need the drugs.

So when are antibiotics necessary?

They’re usually required only when symptoms last longer than a week, start to improve but then worsen again, or are very severe. Worrisome symptoms that can warrant immediate antibiotic treatment include a fever over 38.6°C, extreme pain and tenderness over your sinuses, or signs of a skin infection, such as a hot, red rash that spreads quickly. When you do need antibiotics,the best choice in many cases is amoxicillin,which typically costs about $4 and is just as effective as more expensive brand-name antibiotics. Note that some doctors recommend CT scans when they suspect sinusitis. But those tests are usually necessary only if you havefrequent or chronic sinusitis or you’re going to have sinus surgery.

Conditions: Upper Respiratory Tract Infections (URTI), Viral Infection, Sinus Infection, Sinusitis, Flu (Influenza), Common Cold

Treatments: Antibiotics