What is the best otc medicine for a sinus infection?

i'm pretty sure i have a sinus infection... i'm stuffy and congested, then drippy, sore thoat, thick gross mucous (sorry for the details).. what med shoudl i take? maybe its just a cold? im ...


i'm pretty sure i have a sinus infection... i'm stuffy and congested, then drippy, sore thoat, thick gross mucous (sorry for the details).. what med shoudl i take? maybe its just a cold? im achy to... what should i take? thx!



Blondie Z
I have a sinius infection right now and it isn't anything like that, as least for me. It causes a great deal of pressure in your face down to your teeth. Bending over is impossible because it feels like your head will explode, and then after bending standing up straight makes your head throb. I'm not very stuffy nor does it seem to cause a sore throat. I'm thinking you have a cold. For a sinus infection my doctor gave me antibiotics. You can take sinus OTC meds but I think they just make you feel better while you still have an infection.


corpclimba79
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anything with pseudoephedrine


bitchprincess456
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If you have sinus infection usually nothing can really take care of but, antibiotics..although I have had outstanding results with Tylenol Sinus..max strength.
If it lasts more than about 3 days or it doesn't seem to be draining enough to start feeling better..go to your DR.


Zandelia
If it's truely an infection then otc junk won't cure it. You need antibiotics and can only get them by prescription.


mlgable
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If you think it for sure is a sinus infection it needs antibiotics to clear it up. If you are not sure then see your doc for a definate diagnosis as to what is wrong. The stuffy congested drippy nose are all part of both a cold and a sinus infection but with a sinus infection you have the severe pain and pressure around the eyes and nose, your cheeks hurt and sometimes your teeth ache too. You have trouble standing still with your eyes closed and if you bend over the severe head pressure makes you wish you head would fall off as it is very intense. You have difficulty focusing your eyes too with a sinus infection. The fact that you have thick green mucous though tells me you might want to get checked out by a doctor as that can be a sign of an infection some where.


PaPaFreak
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The honest answer to this question is this: there IS no best OTC medicine for a sinus infection.

OTC meds will help relieve "symptoms" of a true infection, but they will not relieve/remove/cure the infection. If it is a bacterial sinus infection, you need antibiotics, which must be prescribed by a licensed physician. They are not available OTC. Other types of sinus infections, such as fungal infections, require other medications, anti-fungals, such as Diflucan, which are also prescription only meds.

Your wisest choice, with the symptoms you are describing, is to see a doctor and have your "infection" evaluated by a professional, and get on an appropriate treatment regimen.

If you are wanting relief (temporary at best) from the symptoms, get an OTC cough/cold remedy that contains "Guaifenesin", which help thin out mucus, "psuedoephedrine" if possible (an excellent, but semi-regulated nasal decongestant) or "phenylephrine" (another nasal decongestant). Most all c/c remedies have acetaminophen, which is a pain relieve (tylenol, essentially) that will help with the aches and sore throat. You could also add something with "ibuprophen" (motrin) which helps relieve the inflammation in your throat & sinuses.

Of course, you can also try herbal/home/homeopathic remedies such the green teas, belladonna, thyme tea, black currant jam, honey and lemon gargles, etc., but trust me: antibiotics are the drugs of choice.