Sinus Infection Treatment Sterling, VA
A sinus infection is a condition in which inflammation surrounds the nasal cavities and causes discomfort in areas of the face. Sinus infections vary in severity and location; they could be evident in the eyes and ears of one patient and appear in the nose and throat of other patients. A minor sinus infection can be self-diagnosed and self-treated, but more pressing sinus concerns need professional treatment to avoid any further development of the infection or other conditions. It is important to understand the difference between mild and severe symptoms in order to properly treat the condition.
Sinus infection treatment is available at Millennium Medical Care Stone Springs in Sterling and the surrounding area. Our staff can help you determine whether the symptoms you feel are related to a sinus infection and help you treat it. Visit our urgent care center for an evaluation and treatment today, no appointment necessary. Call us at (703) 665-3242 for more information.
When a Sinus Infection Requires Medical Care
A minor sinus infection does not require a trip to urgent care or indicate a reason for significant concern, but a more severe sinus infection may need medical assistance to appropriately treat the underlying cause of the infection. While prevention is the best way to handle a sinus infection, it is not always possible to prevent, especially when caused by the common cold.
Therefore, it is essential to know what to do if a sinus infection develops, keeping an eye on the symptoms and their severity. If they become intolerable or no sign of improvement is noticed after more than a week, the infection is likely severe and needs medical attention.
Facts from the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology
- A bad cold is often mistaken for a sinus infection as many of the symptoms are the same.
- A sinus infection close to the brain can be life-threatening.
- Allergies can play a significant role in chronic or seasonal sinus infections.
- Knowing what kind of bacteria is causing the infection can lead to more effective antibiotic treatment.
- There are two primary forms of sinus infections: acute and chronic.
- Sinus infections caused by a virus should last less than two weeks.
- Antibiotics help eliminate a sinus infection by attacking the bacteria that cause it.
- Some people have bodily defects that contribute to sinus infections.
“While prevention is the best way to handle a sinus infection, it is not always possible to prevent, especially when caused by the common cold.”
Causes and Symptoms of Sinus Infections
Sinus inflammation, also known as sinusitis, is a condition where the nasal passageway becomes inflamed due to an infection or allergies. There are two different types of sinus infections, acute and chronic. Acute sinus inflammation can result from another condition or infection, such as the common cold or allergies. A chronic sinus infection has a much more complicated diagnosis and almost always requires medical assistance to keep under control.
The two leading causes of acute infection are either a bacterial infection or a viral infection. While they are similar, bacterial infections have a different treatment procedure than a viral infection, which makes accurate diagnosis essential to successful treatment. Bacterial infections that cause sinusitis are far less frequent than a viral infection.
The symptoms differ depending on the severity, cause, and type of the sinus infection. Nevertheless, several more common symptoms apply to almost every case of sinus infections, including:
- Nasal congestion
- Runny nose
- Headache
- Facial pain
- Cough
- Sinus pressure
The first symptoms that patients tend to experience with a sinus infection are nasal congestion and runny nose. Additionally, almost all sinus infections involve headaches, ranging from mild to severe, and uncomfortable facial pain. There is no way of eliminating these symptoms without treating the cause, and medical assistance can help speed up the process of recovery.
“The two leading causes of acute infection are either a bacterial infection or a viral infection.”
Treatments for Sinus Infections
Upon entering our urgent care facility, we will first conduct an assessment. There are several common tactics performed to try and diagnose a sinus infection, which includes a detailed examination of the nasal passageways. After diagnosis, there are several treatment options available, the exact treatment method depending mainly on the cause of the infection.
In the event the sinus infection is caused by a bacterial infection, it can be treated with antibiotics, which is often the most successful method used. However, antibiotics do not work for viral infections. Instead, antiviral medications are likely to be given for viral infections.
One of the main reasons for sinus inflammation is allergies, a condition where the immune system rejects a harmful substance. If allergies are determined to be the cause of the sinus inflammation, we will prescribe a steroid spray. The nasal spray should help reduce the severity of the reaction, which ultimately allows the sinus inflammation to stay at a tolerable level.
Regardless of the medical treatment option, there are over-the-counter medications that can also help deal with the symptoms, including decongestants, allergy medicines, nasal spray, pain relievers, and steroids.
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Home Remedies and Prevention
Along with treatment, specific home remedies can help symptoms improve faster and keep them at a tolerable level for the duration of the sinus infection. Also, proper lifestyle changes can prevent acquiring an acute sinus infection altogether.
For home remedies, rest and eating healthy help in a speedy recovery. When the body is fighting off a sinus infection, or any infection for that matter, it needs proper rest and nutrients to do so. While resting, it is also important to:
- Stay hydrated
- Use a warm compress
- Clean out your nasal passageway
- Elevate your head while sleeping
- Place a humidifier in your home
- Take hot showers
Ultimately, it comes down to focusing on relieving the pressure built up in the sinuses by keeping the nasal passageways from getting clogged. Using a warm compress, placing a humidifier in the home, and elevating the head while resting are all excellent tactics to clear the nasal passageways.
While it is not always possible to avoid or prevent sinus infections, there are precautions one can take to help minimize the risk, including receiving a flu shot, keeping distance from others who are sick, planning for an allergy attack, and practicing good hygiene.
The best way to prevent a sinus infection is to practice a hygienic lifestyle, which means continuously washing your hands throughout the day. If you have allergies, planning for an allergy attack by limiting time outdoors during allergy season and getting an allergy shot when needed can significantly reduce the chance of acquiring a sinus infection.
Questions Answered on This Page
Q. When does a sinus infection require medical care?
Q. What are the causes and symptoms of sinus infections?
Q. What are the treatment options for sinus infections?
People Also Ask
Q. What are the most common causes of respiratory issues?
Q. What are some common symptoms of bronchitis?
Q. How do you get strep throat?
Q. What are the different types of allergies?
When to Seek Urgent Care for a Sinus Infection
First, it is important to seek urgent care for a sinus infection if the symptoms begin to worsen or last for an extended amount of time. Patients experiencing difficulty breathing due to their sinus infection should come in as soon as possible to have their sinuses cleared out. Also, keeping a close eye on your symptoms and their duration and severity is important to understand how they progress. If the symptoms do not decrease or improve within a week, we recommend coming in to get checked.
Additionally, urgent care is highly encouraged for children as they are unable to fight off infections as quickly and could lead to more serious conditions. It can be much more challenging to diagnose the cause of the sinus inflammation in children. In some cases, the reason could be due to an underlying allergy that has not yet been diagnosed.
During the visit, we will thoroughly examine the face and symptoms, documenting any relevant information to make a proper diagnosis. It may be helpful to make a list of all of the symptoms, any medications that are currently being taken, and any allergies that exist. We will likely ask a series of questions to try and learn more about the scope of the infection, including medical history, severity of the symptoms, and any lifestyle changes that may have led to the sinus infection, after which treatment will be administered.
Questions to Ask Your Urgent Care Provider
- What diagnostic procedures did you use to determine I have a sinus infection?
- Are there any lifestyle changes I can make to minimize the risk of developing a sinus infection in the future?
- Is surgery an option to relieve my sinus infection? Is the surgery process invasive?
- Are there any complications that can arise by not treating a sinus infection?
- Is my sinus infection acute or chronic?
- Am I contagious? What should I do to prevent others around me from getting infected?
- Have you treated similar cases of sinusitis? What is the prognosis?
- How common are sinus infections?
- What was the cause of my sinus infection? What can I do to prevent it from happening again in the future?
- Is there anything I can do to manage my symptoms until I recover?
- What home remedies can I implement to relieve the symptoms of my sinus infection?
- What should I do if my symptoms do not improve from treatment?
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Is sinusitis the same thing as a sinus infection?
A. Sinusitis and sinus infections both refer to inflammation of the sinuses. In most acute cases, it is the result of an infection, such as the flu or common cold. However, there are many reasons someone may experience a sinus infection. In chronic cases, the onset of a sinus infection may be due to one's allergies. More chronic sinus infections may result from a bodily defect, such as a deviated septum.
Q. I have a severe headache with my sinus infection. Is this normal?
A. A minor headache is very common with a sinus infection. However, a severe headache can be a cause for concern. In most cases, a minor headache is the result of too much pressure in the head, manageable with anti-inflammatory and pain relief medication. A severe headache that is hard to control and causes severe discomfort should receive immediate treatment at an urgent care facility. In some instances, severe headaches are caused by too much congestion too close to the brain. When this occurs, the sinuses may need to be cleaned out, at which point the headaches should improve.
Q. I always have sinus infections during allergy season. Do allergies cause sinus inflammation?
A. Yes, sinus inflammation can be the result of allergies. Allergies result when the body reacts to a substance it deems harmful, leading to too much mucus being produced, ultimately clogging the sinuses and causing inflammation. Due to this, it is essential to take extra precaution during allergy season and seek treatment when allergies are present. The faster allergies are treated, the lower the chance of developing sinus inflammation due to the allergies.
Q. The symptoms of my sinus infection are tolerable. Can my sinus infection get better without treatment?
A. Most sinus infections improve without the need for medical assistance. Like any bacterial or viral infections, the body works to fight off the sinus infection as quickly as possible, which is why we often feel fatigued during an infection. To ensure your body can successfully fight off the infection, be sure to give yourself plenty of rest and stay hydrated. In the meantime, you can ease the symptoms with over-the-counter medications and home remedies. In the event the symptoms begin to worsen or do not improve within a week, you should consider medical assistance to deal with the sinus infection.
Q. Is a nasal endoscopy required to treat a sinus infection?
A. A nasal endoscopy is just one treatment option for sinus infections, and it is not necessarily required in every instance. For more severe sinus infections, however, a nasal endoscopy is likely necessary to clean out your sinuses and ease the symptoms. While it may seem somewhat invasive, a nasal endoscopy is a painless procedure that does not take long to complete. If you have any doubts about the method, ask your doctor about the process and discuss any other possible treatment options.
Start Feeling Better – Visit Us Today
By visiting us as soon as possible, our team can help get you the professional treatment you need. Instead of waiting around and allowing the symptoms to get worse, we can provide you with stronger medication and treatment options instead of ineffective store-bought products.
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Definitions
Consult With Us
To ensure the symptoms do not worsen or linger for longer than necessary, consult with us any time there is a concern about your sinus infection. By receiving prompt, quality care, you can give your body what it needs to fight off the sinus infection in a relatively short amount of time.
Come in for a visit or give us a call at 703-665-3242 to ensure your symptoms are appropriately managed and diagnosed.
Helpful Related Links
- American Journal of Medicine. American Journal of Medicine. 2023
- American Medical Association (AMA). American Medical Association (AMA). 2023
- American Medical Society For Sports Medicine (AMSSM). American Medical Society For Sports Medicine. 2023
- American Trauma Society. American Trauma Society. 2023
- John Hopkins Medicine Orthopaedic Surgery. John Hopkins Medicine Orthopaedic Surgery. 2023
- National Council on Aging. National Council on Aging. 2023
- Orthopaedic Surgery: Association of American Medical Colleges. Orthopaedic Surgery: Association of American Medical Colleges. 2023
- Radiological Society of North America. Radiological Society of North America. 2023
About our business and website security
- Millennium Medical Care Stone Springs was established in 2023.
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- We serve patients from the following cities: South Riding, Brambleton, Sterling, Ashburn, and Aldie
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