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Suggest Treatment For Flu-like Symptoms
Question: Good afternoon,
For the past month and a half I have suffered from flu-like symptoms, such as; clear mucus discharge, post-nasal drip, dry cough, sinus pressure headache and general malaise. I have seen my doctor and I have already gone through 2 rounds of antibiotics, antihistamines, neti-pot, cortisone, and different inhalers. I have also tried drinking ginger tea, garlic, vitamin c and none of these treatments has helped.
This isn't a follow-up question as more information. I have a history of sinus infections with yellow/green mucus and I usually get them once or twice a year. I take antibiotics and I am cured within a week or two. Both the doctors I saw thought that I either had a sinus infection or allergies and treated me accordingly, however I haven't gotten better.
For the past month and a half I have suffered from flu-like symptoms, such as; clear mucus discharge, post-nasal drip, dry cough, sinus pressure headache and general malaise. I have seen my doctor and I have already gone through 2 rounds of antibiotics, antihistamines, neti-pot, cortisone, and different inhalers. I have also tried drinking ginger tea, garlic, vitamin c and none of these treatments has helped.
This isn't a follow-up question as more information. I have a history of sinus infections with yellow/green mucus and I usually get them once or twice a year. I take antibiotics and I am cured within a week or two. Both the doctors I saw thought that I either had a sinus infection or allergies and treated me accordingly, however I haven't gotten better.
Brief Answer:
Read below
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern.
As your doctors have said the description of your symptoms is compatible with a sinus inflammation, accumulation of secretions in the sinus cavities. It shouldn't be looked as something separate to allergies as the two things often coexist, it is commonly the allergies which cause inflammation of the nasal inner lining and inhibit draining of the sinuses resulting in sinusitis.
In terms of medication you seem to have had it all, you mention all the classes f medication commonly used. Since the secretions are clear I wouldn't hurry into a third antibiotic right away. Given the persistence of the symptoms this time around as well as the fact that sinusitis seems to be a recurrent problem with you I would try to determine whether there are factors which favor such inflammation and its maintenance. Such a factor might often be nasal polyps, abnormal growths in the nasal cavities, allergies to certain components in your environment.
For that reason some tests are recommended such as:
- cultures from the sinuses (obtained through puncture or endoscopy). This is with the aim of identifying possible bacteria and if another antibiotic is to be tried to choose one that is effective against that particular germ (as you may have developed antibiotic resistance.
- CT imaging of the sinuses. It permits to evaluate inflammation of the sinuses, as well as polyps, cysts, bony changes due to chronic rhinosinusitis.
- skin allergy testing to test for environmental allergens.
- Immunoglobulin E levels may be done if available as an indicator of allergic fungal rhino sinusitis.
According to those tests, further management might consist in continuing medication like the current ones, trying another course of antibiotics and at times in chronic rhinosinusitis also surgery.
I remain at your disposal for other questions.
Read below
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern.
As your doctors have said the description of your symptoms is compatible with a sinus inflammation, accumulation of secretions in the sinus cavities. It shouldn't be looked as something separate to allergies as the two things often coexist, it is commonly the allergies which cause inflammation of the nasal inner lining and inhibit draining of the sinuses resulting in sinusitis.
In terms of medication you seem to have had it all, you mention all the classes f medication commonly used. Since the secretions are clear I wouldn't hurry into a third antibiotic right away. Given the persistence of the symptoms this time around as well as the fact that sinusitis seems to be a recurrent problem with you I would try to determine whether there are factors which favor such inflammation and its maintenance. Such a factor might often be nasal polyps, abnormal growths in the nasal cavities, allergies to certain components in your environment.
For that reason some tests are recommended such as:
- cultures from the sinuses (obtained through puncture or endoscopy). This is with the aim of identifying possible bacteria and if another antibiotic is to be tried to choose one that is effective against that particular germ (as you may have developed antibiotic resistance.
- CT imaging of the sinuses. It permits to evaluate inflammation of the sinuses, as well as polyps, cysts, bony changes due to chronic rhinosinusitis.
- skin allergy testing to test for environmental allergens.
- Immunoglobulin E levels may be done if available as an indicator of allergic fungal rhino sinusitis.
According to those tests, further management might consist in continuing medication like the current ones, trying another course of antibiotics and at times in chronic rhinosinusitis also surgery.
I remain at your disposal for other questions.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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