I saw this in The Stir - Do you think antibiotics help or no?
Antibiotics Don't Help Sinus Infections -- Now What?
If you're a frequent sinus infection sufferer, it's likely you at times depend on antibiotics to make you feel better -- I know I do! It's not that I drop everything and hightail it to my doctor at the first sign of sniffles; but if I have severe cold-like symptoms that last for days and days, I'll ask him for a prescription (hopefully instead of missing work). But now a new study suggests this line of defense may not be as effective as we assume: It says that antibiotics, specifically amoxicillin, do not fight sinus infections any more effectively than taking an inactive placebo pill.
What? Waaaaa!
Specifically, the study examined data from 166 adults who had acute sinus infections and were randomly assigned to either receive a 10-day course of amoxicillin or a 10-day course of placebo. The results showed that on Day 3, there was no difference between the treatment and placebo group. On Day 7, there was only a small improvement in the treatment group. The conclusion? Amoxicillin does not help you recover faster or reduce symptoms any more effectively.
What's interesting is that I myself typically haven't noticed an improvement in how I'm feeling until days 7, 8, or even 9 of taking an antibiotic for a sinus infection -- and by then I have no idea if it's the actual medication that's behind the improvement or the fact that the infection has run its course. But there is something to be said of the psychosomatic benefits of taking an antibiotic and assuming you'll be feeling better in no time. This study completely ruins that for me.
Of course, long-term implications of this study could be good news for public health: Doctors who may be over-prescribing antibiotics for certain illnesses will have to look for new, more effective treatment options at least in the case of some sinus infections.
But in the short term, though we can certainly use over-the-counter medications to relieve some symptoms such as pain, cough, fever, and congestion, it seems we're totally out of luck in terms of a fast cure.
Do you get sinus infections? How do you get relief?
That's B.S. an INFECTION requires antibiotics. I too have used steam, salt water and a neti pot or sinus rinse, nothing like a little medicinal water boarding on yourself. However, when you have an INFECTION and the stuff coming out is GREEN you need an antibiotic.
Quoting Bleacheddecay:That's B.S. an INFECTION requires antibiotics. I too have used steam, salt water and a neti pot or sinus rinse, nothing like a little medicinal water boarding on yourself. However, when you have an INFECTION and the stuff coming out is GREEN you need an antibiotic.
A bacterial infection requires antibiotics; antibiotics are worthless against viral infections
Yellow or green mucus CAN indicate a bacterial infection; as opposed to DOES indicate
Absolutely. Point taken.
Quoting rkoloms:
Quoting Bleacheddecay:That's B.S. an INFECTION requires antibiotics. I too have used steam, salt water and a neti pot or sinus rinse, nothing like a little medicinal water boarding on yourself. However, when you have an INFECTION and the stuff coming out is GREEN you need an antibiotic.
A bacterial infection requires antibiotics; antibiotics are worthless against viral infections
Yellow or green mucus CAN indicate a bacterial infection; as opposed to DOES indicate
Funny..how when I have a sinus infection, an antibiotic works.
That being said, what they're talking about is probably a cold, not an actual sinus infection. Those are two different things! Of course an antibiotic isn't going to cure your cold, it never does.
Kale is SUPER
- Cafe AmyS
on Feb. 15, 2012 at 2:20 PM