Prevention

There are some measures you can take to decrease your risk of developing sinusitis. If you smoke cigarettes, you should quit, because smoke can irritate nasal passageways and increase the likelihood of infection. Chronic nasal allergies can trigger sinus infections, too. If you suspect you have an allergy to mold or pollen, talk to a doctor about allergy treatments.

If you have congestion from a cold or allergies, the following may help to reduce the risk of developing sinusitis:

• Drink lots of water. This thins nasal secretions and keeps mucous membranes moist.

• Use steam to soothe nasal passages. Breathe deeply while standing in a hot shower, or inhale the steam from a pan of hot water while holding a towel over your head (but don't get too close; steam can burn).

• Avoid blowing your nose with great force, which can push bacteria into the sinuses.

Treatment

Many sinus infections improve without treatment. However, several medications may speed recovery and reduce the chance that an infection will become chronic.

Decongestants - Congestion often triggers sinus infections, and decongestants can open the sinuses and allow them to drain. Several are available:

• Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) is available without prescription, alone or in combination with other medications in multi-symptom cold and sinus remedies. Pseudoephedrine can cause insomnia, racing pulse and jitteriness. Do not use if you have high blood pressure or a heart condition. Phenylephrine (such as Sudafed PE) is an alternative over-the-counter oral decongestant. If you take products containing oral phenylephrine, check with the pharmacist to be certain there is no interaction with other medications you take.

• Oxymetazoline (Afrin, Dristan and others) and phenylephrine (Neo-Synephrine and others) are found in nasal sprays. They are effective and may be less likely to cause the side effects seen with pseudoephedrine. However, using a nasal decongestant for more than three days can cause worse symptoms when you stop the medication. This is called the rebound effect.