CLINICAL
WINTER AILMENTS
SINUS INFECTION OR COLD?
Patients often confuse sinusitis with a cold.
A patient comes to see you with
pain behind her eyes, cheeks, and
forehead. Sometimes she has
sinus drainage, and occasionally
accompanied by a low-grade fever.
Her symptoms often occur after she
has had a cold or allergy symptoms.
She avoids taking antibiotics.
Acute bacterial sinusitis is a form
of sinus infection, which are usually
caused by bacteria growing in the
sinuses. A cold or allergy attack causes
mucous membranes in the sinuses to
swell and block the tiny openings into
the sinuses, which interferes with their
ability to drain. The trapped mucus
allows bacteria to breed, causing pain
and pressure in the head and face.
Colds, caused by viruses, are
often mistaken for a sinus infection.
While antibiotics can be helpful for
those with sinus infections, they are
useless when it comes to fighting
cold viruses.
Dual action,
expectorant and
bronchodilator.
opens
your chest
to get
you active
again.
S2 Actophlem ® Cough Syrup. Each 30 ml contains theophylline 100 mg; etofylline 10 mg; diphenylpyraline hydrochloride 8 mg;
ammonium chloride 720 mg; sodium citrate 300 mg. Reg. No. W/10.1/194. For full prescribing information refer to the package insert
approved by the medicines regulatory authority. Adcock Ingram Limited. Reg. No. 1949/034385/06. Private Bag X69, Bryanston, 2021,
South Africa. Tel. +27 11 635 0000 www.adcock.com 1026275 03/2017.
SINUS INFECTION OR COLD?
The main difference between the
symptoms of a cold and sinus infection
is how long they linger. Cold sufferers
typically have a runny nose for two to
three days, followed by a stuffy nose
for two to three days. After that, most
people begin to feel better. A sinus
infection will hang around for seven
days or more.
A fever may also signal a bacterial
infection. Sinus infections are
sometimes accompanied by a low-
grade fever, while colds typically are
not. Other viruses (such as the flu) do
cause fevers, however.
Some people have nasal polyps and
allergies, which can increase their risk
of chronic sinus infections.
HOW TO TREAT A SINUS
INFECTION
Rest, drinking lots of fluids, breathing
steam, and irrigating the sinuses with
saline spray or a neti pot, are advised.
Over-the-counter decongestants can
also be helpful, but should not be used
for more than three days because some
products can exacerbate congestion
and raise patients’ blood pressure and
heart rate.
Bacterial sinus infections typically
last for about 14 days, but the use of
antibiotics speeds up the recovery
process by up to five days. Still, about
70% of sinus infections resolve on their
own, and many patients prefer to let
them run their course.
If left untreated, however, sinusitis
can cause permanent damage to the
sinuses and, in very rare cases, can lead
to meningitis. If patients miss work or
other activities due to sinus infections,
or if their symptoms recur frequently,
they should be evaluated.
Source: www.health.com
24 MAY 2017 | MEDICAL CHRONICLE