If you suffer from chronic sinus infections, you may be quite used to taking antibiotics to treat the infections. While antibiotics can help reduce the symptoms of sinus infections, they are not always the best remedy. If you are currently experiencing all the symptoms of a sinus infection and are not sure whether or not to see a doctor to get an antibiotic, here are a couple things to think about.

Antibiotics can have side-effects

Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections in the body, and they work well for this purpose. For these medications to work, they are taken orally and find their way to bacteria in the body. When they reach this bacteria, they eliminate it. As this happens, these medications may also destroy good bacteria in the body, and this can throw things off. One of the most common effects this has is digestive issues. You may suffer from diarrhea after taking an antibiotic, and this occurs because your body does not have a proper level of good bacteria in it.

There might be other ways to treat the infection

If you are tired of taking antibiotics, you could try using natural remedies to try to soothe your symptoms and eliminate the infection. Here are some of the options you have:

• Apple cider vinegar (ACV) – ACV is a natural ingredient that can relieve the common symptoms of sinus infections, and you can use this ingredient in several ways. An easy method is to mix 2 T. ACV in a glass of water and drink it daily.
• Neti pot – You could also use a neti pot to relieve your symptoms. This is a small, inexpensive device you can purchase at any pharmacy. You will need to add water and saline solution to the device and pour it into one nostril at a time. It will naturally come out of the other nostril when you do this, and this will help clean your sinus cavities.
• Oregano oil – A third option to try involves oregano oil. Place one to five drops of the oil in a glass of water and drink it daily. Oregano oil has antibacterial properties, and this could help naturally eliminate your sinus infection.

If you are really sick and need to feel better quickly, you might not have the time or patience needed for trying at-home remedies. Instead, you could visit an urgent care center (like Nathan Littauer Hospital & Nursing Home) for fast services for your sinus infection.