how do you know if you've got a sinus infection versus just a bad cold?

and, sorry if this is gross but, does green snot mean an infection?

and if one does in fact have a sinus infection, will it go away by itself, or must one take an antibiotic?

of course, none of these questions are for ME, they're for a friend......

 

I'm going to take your second question first. Clear, runny discharge is a sign of viral infection or allergy. Thick, purulent discharge is a sign that the infection is bacterial. Anything green coming out of the body anywhere is also a sign of bacteria.

Since colds are caused by viruses, you will notice clear discharge from the nose. The sinuses may be involved, but not usually a big deal with a virus. Bacterial infections in the sinuses typically cause more trouble because the thicker consistency of the associated discharge makes it harder for the body to get it out. Either way, blowing your nose is obviously the normal way to expel it.

If you have a viral infection, antibiotics will be useless, as they are strictly for bacteria. If the infection is bacterial, a culture should be done prior to prescribing antibiotics to determine which bacteria it is, as that is pertinent information for picking the best antibiotic for the job.

I'm not a big one for medication, so we try a couple other things in my house first - be warned, some people will consider one or both gross. First is to break up/thin the discharge with steam - a hot shower works well. Or, mix a spoon of table salt into a small cup of water, pour a tiny amount into the cupped palm of your hand and then snort it like you see actors snorthing drugs on TV. Salt kills bacteria and this works very well.

 

salt kills bacteria?? hmm.....

i'm not sure i, i mean my FRIEND, could snort water up her nose - on purpose. wouldn't it get in her lungs or drown her or something??? she definitely has really thick green stuff coming out when she blows her nose. and one day, it felt like she had a toothache, but then she took some OTC sinus/allergy medication and it went away. sounds like she's definitely got a sinus infection. and it's been going on for over a week, so she's getting pretty tired of feeling bad. but the question is, will it go away without antibiotics? or just hang around forever?

 

You won't be able to snort the water into your lungs. Your body protects itself rather well against this happening by all manner of gagging and coughing.

 

You won't be snorting that much liquid, only what you can hold in the cupped palm of your hand, I would guess this is about a teaspoon or so. Didn't occur to me when I was typing my earlier post, but you can buy inhalers at the drugstore that are just salt water (saline) for this purpose.

 

is this same practice of snorting salt water as equally effective for allergies?

 

No, this would have no effect on allergies. It helps a bacterial sinus infection by killing the bacteria. Allergies are an entirely different situation.

 

Rather than snort, go to a drugstore and ask for a nasal thingamajigger that you use to pour a concoction in one nostril and it comes out the other. I bought one in Palm Springs last year after reading about it in US Today.

I had to go to a couple of stores. I can't remember the name of it but ask the pharmacist, they'll know. It looks exactly like a mini teapot with a spout that you stick in one nostril, tilt your head and start pouring. It runs right through out the other nostril.

Didn't work well for me because it kept filling up my ear drums with fluid that stayed there for days. The instructional literature said this happens to some people.

Hey... I've got one for sale... maybe I could email it to you...pretty yucky thought.

 

just to let you know, it DID clear up by itself, without taking any antibiotics or snorting any saltwater. took about a month though...........or so she told me.

 

Now I remember, its a neti pot

http://www.healingdaily.com/exercise/neti-pot.htm

 

uh....no thanks.

i'm pretty sure nature's purpose of nasal mucus is to filter out pollutants from entering our lungs as we breathe. no one should need to cleanse their sinuses daily with that thingamajig. i'll bet if one DID use that thing very often, they'd bring on a whole new set of problems from the imbalance they'd create.

but thanks anyway!

 

I'm guessing you weren't inspired by the sight of a pretty girl pouring fluid out of her nostrils?

Now thats how you market!!!

 

you'd be guessing correctly.

lovely image! not.