Question:
Should I get an antibiotic if I have had moderate sinusitis symptoms (pressure in face and/or forehead) +/- fever for more than 7 days or initially got better, but then worse again?
Answer:
Yes
MedHead Confidence Score: 5
Amount Saved: $120 cost in lost wages per day
MedHead Message:
Get the antibiotic only if your symptoms have reached 7 days without resolution. Please don’t go to urgent care with 3-4 days of symptoms. It is highly likely you don’t have a sinus infection that is bacterial. However, they’ll usually prescribe an antibiotic anyway to make you happy. Why is it that we now have the ability to tell the doctor what we want and when we want it, without any medical training whatsoever!
References:
Current Concepts in Adult Acute Rhinosinusitis Am Fam Physician. 2016 Jul 15;94(2):97-105
