Sinuses Draining After Infection

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Sinuses Draining After Infection

Question:

I am taking antibiotics for a sinus infection. Now my sinuses are draining. Is it better to let them drain or should I take something to dry out my sinuses?

Answer:

There are a number of sinuses in the head — the maxillary sinuses (behind your cheeks), the ethmoid sinuses (between your eyes), the frontal sinuses (above your eyes) and the sphenoid sinus (in the back of your nose). They all produce mucous and drain into the nose. This mucous moves to the back of the nose, and then down the throat and then we swallow it.

Healthy sinuses are sterile and have no bacteria growing in them. The nose, however, is not sterile. It has bacteria in it all of the time. Mucous acts to wash the sinuses. This prevents bacteria from entering the sinuses and causing infection. But when something changes this process, such as having a cold or an allergy flare-up, this blocks the normal drainage and bacteria are able to enter the sinus and grow. This causes an infection.

Treating a sinus infection requires antibiotics to kill the invading bacteria. Probably more importantly, treatment also involves restoring the drainage of the sinuses.

Nasal irrigation washes out infected mucous. Nasal decongestants decrease the swelling of the mucosa, the tissue that lines the nose and sinuses. This unblocks the sinuses and allows for drainage. It is not a good idea to "dry out the sinuses" with antihistamines because hard, crusted mucous can slow the drainage process.

David Vernick, M.D. is assistant clinical professor of otology and laryngology at Harvard Medical School and interim chief of the Division of Otology and Laryngology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Last updated:	July 20, 2009