Nearly 15% of Americans experience a sinus infection in a given year. These common infections cause uncomfortable symptoms, such as a runny nose, nasal congestion, and facial pain.
Viral sinus infections usually go away on their own after a few days. But, you can minimize discomfort with simple at-home therapy and over-the-counter medications. Here are some of the best OTC treatment options for a sinus infection.
What is a sinus infection?
A sinus infection, also known as sinusitis or rhinosinusitis, is an infection of the sinus cavities behind the nose, cheekbones, and forehead. These cavities are lined with a soft tissue known as mucosa. When sinus cavities get infected, this tissue becomes inflamed and swollen. Inflammation leads to increased mucus production, which causes stuffiness and congestion, the most well-known sinusitis symptoms.
Acute sinusitis is a sinus infection caused by a harmful virus, bacteria, or fungus. It generally lasts 7–10 days. You can use over-the-counter decongestants and pain relievers to ease your symptoms during this time. Bacterial and fungal sinus infections often require prescription medication.
Chronic sinusitis is a persistent inflammation of the sinuses that lasts for 12 weeks or more. Chronic sinus infections can be caused by an infection, nasal polyps, a deviated septum, or other underlying health problems caused by a compromised immune system. These infections may require advanced treatment like antibiotics or immunotherapy.
What are the common symptoms of a sinus infection?
Common symptoms of a sinus infection include:
- Runny nose (nasal discharge)
- Stuffy nose (nasal congestion)
- Postnasal drip
- Sinus pressure/ facial pain
- Sinus headaches
- Bad breath
- Sore throat
- Upper jaw/ tooth pain
- Decreased sense of smell
- Fever
What are the best OTC medications for sinus infections?
If you are experiencing a viral sinus infection, the illness should go away within a few days. To alleviate your symptoms, we recommend these widely available over-the-counter treatment options. These OTC treatments won’t cure your condition but will help you feel better while you heal.
Decongestants
Decongestant nasal sprays help minimize swelling by shrinking blood vessels in the nasal passages. This helps with sinus congestion symptoms. Decongestants will start working right away.
Common OTC decongestants include:
- Afrin (oxymetazoline)
- Sudafed (pseudoephedrine)
You should only use a nasal decongestant for a few days. Repeated use can cause more severe congestion. While phenylephrine (Sudafed PE & Neo-Synephrine) is generally considered less effective at treating sinus infection symptoms than pseudoephedrine, it carries less risk of adverse side effects like headaches and mouth dryness.
Pain relievers
Over-the-counter pain relievers can help reduce inflammation symptoms caused by a sinus infection. These include sinus pain, headaches, and tooth pain. These drugs usually start to work within 30 minutes.
While OTC pain relievers will not cure the underlying condition, they can minimize discomfort while waiting for the infection to heal.
Common OTC pain relievers include:
Talk to your healthcare provider before you start taking OTC pain relievers. Patients with high blood pressure or who take blood thinning medication should avoid using these drugs unless cleared to do so by a doctor.
Antihistamines
Antihistamines are used to treat allergy symptoms. They usually start to work within 30 minutes. These drugs block the production of histamines, a substance released by the body when it believes it has come into contact with an allergen or irritant. Antihistamines help clear up sinus congestion while treating the underlying cause of some sinus infections.
Common OTC antihistamines include:
Antihistamine drugs are generally supplied as a nasal spray or oral tablet. Be sure to check the packaging of the medication you are taking, as some brands of antihistamines can make you drowsy (like Nighttime Benadryl). You should not drive a car or operate machinery after taking an antihistamine that makes you drowsy. Talk to your healthcare provider about the best antihistamine for you and the proper dosage for your treatment.
Steroid nasal sprays
Nasal sprays containing steroids help reduce inflammation in the nasal passages. This can minimize congestion symptoms and headaches caused by a sinus infection. It may take a few days to notice the effects of steroidal nasal sprays.
Common OTC steroid sprays include:
Here’s a look at OTC treatments and symptoms they can help treat.
| Symptom | Decongestant | Pain reliever | Steroid spray |
|---|---|---|---|
| Runny nose | Yes | No | Yes |
| Congestion | Yes | No | Yes |
| Post-nasal drip | Yes | No | Yes |
| Facial pain | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Headaches | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bad breath | No | No | No |
| Upper jaw/ tooth pain | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Decreased sense of smell | Yes | No | Yes |
| Fever | No | Yes | No |
Note that OTC medication may indirectly help with certain symptoms like bad breath, decreased sense of smell and taste, and post-nasal drip. By treating sinus inflammation, OTC drugs can help to ease these symptoms.
Self-care remedies
In addition to OTC medication, several home remedies can ease uncomfortable sinus infection symptoms.
These include:
Saline nasal sprays: Saline nasal sprays (like Simply Saline) are non-medicated sprays that rinse and clean the nasal passages. This helps loosen mucus, reduce congestion, and soothe irritated nasal tissue.
Neti Pots: Neti Pots are used for nasal irrigation. To use one, put iodide and preservative-free salt water into the chamber. Boil the water first to sanitize it. Wait until the water is room temperature before you put it in the Neti Pot. Pour the solution into each nostril, per the device’s instructions. This salt water rinse can help reduce congestion and pain caused by a sinus infection while cleansing the affected area.
Drink plenty of fluids: Fluids help thin your mucus, allowing it to drain from the nasal passages more easily.
Moisten sinus cavities: Drape a towel over your head and breathe in the vapor from a bowl of hot water. This helps the nose drain mucus and relieves sinus infection symptoms. Take a shower and inhale the warm, wet air. Use a humidifier at night, but ensure you use filtered water in the chamber.
Warm compress: A warm compress applied to your nose and forehead may help alleviate sinus congestion.
| Symptom | Saline spray | Neti Pot | Hydration | Steam | Warm compress |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Runny nose | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Congestion | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Post-nasal drip | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Facial pain | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Headaches | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Bad breath | No | No | No | No | No |
| Upper jaw/ tooth pain | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Decreased sense of smell | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Fever | No | No | No | No | No |
Like OTC medication, at-home remedies may indirectly help certain symptoms by relieving congestion and inflammation in the sinus cavities.
Most viral sinus infections will disappear without prescription medication within ten days. If your symptoms persist for longer than ten days, you should seek medical advice from a licensed healthcare provider.
When should I see a doctor about a sinus infection?
While some sinus infections go away on their own, fungal or bacterial sinus infections may require specific prescription medication. An underlying condition like nasal polyps may also cause a persistent sinus infection, requiring more advanced treatment.
Speak to a healthcare provider if:
- Sinus infection symptoms last for more than a week
- Your symptoms get increasingly worse
- Your symptoms are accompanied by a high fever
- You experience sinus infection symptoms with confusion, vision problems, and/ or swelling and redness around the eyes
- You have a personal history of chronic sinus infections
These are often signs of a severe infection that requires prescription medication.
How Sesame can help
If you’re experiencing the symptoms of a sinus infection or have questions about treatment, book an online doctor appointment on Sesame to speak to a licensed healthcare provider right away. Providers on Sesame can diagnose sinus infections, address your concerns, and prescribe medication when appropriate. Book a visit today.
