Sinusitis Treatment Online

Same-day consultations are available 365 days a year, with priority booking if you’re in a hurry. Once the doctor approves treatment, your eScript can be on your phone or at your chosen pharmacy within minutes. If your symptoms are severe, include swelling or pain around the eyes, or you feel very unwell, see a doctor in person rather than waiting for an online appointment.

The consultation is $31.99, including the doctor’s assessment and, where clinically appropriate, a prescription sent as an eScript to your phone or pharmacy. The doctor may instead recommend over-the-counter measures if your sinusitis is viral, which is the right treatment even though it means no antibiotic. If medication is prescribed, the cost of the medication itself is subject to your chosen pharmacy’s pricing, or added at checkout if you choose delivery. No Medicare is needed for the appointment itself, but providing these details will enable eScripts and PBS prescriptions where required.

No. A video consultation with a doctor is required before any treatment can be issued. Most sinus infections are viral and don’t need antibiotics, so the doctor assesses your symptoms to work out what’s actually causing them and what will genuinely help, which might be prescription treatment, or might be simple measures you can manage yourself. A questionnaire alone isn’t enough, and services that hand out antibiotics without a real consultation contribute to antibiotic resistance and don’t meet Australian standards.

It is not necessarily possible to entirely avoid getting sinusitis, but some strategies that may help include:

• avoid smoking/smoke exposure/air pollution exposure
• proactively manage any hay fever or dust allergies with appropriate treatment- get advice from your doctor or pharmacist if you are unsure.
• avoid exposure to respiratory viruses, stay away from people who are known to be unwell with common colds/flus.
• some people find using an air humidifier in their living space can help, particularly if their home heating/air conditioning system causes the air to be very dry. Humidifiers need to be properly cleaned/ maintained, to avoid mold developing.

If you are getting frequent sinus infections despite taking the above steps, speak to your doctor for advice.

In most cases, sinusitis gets better by itself, after a few days/weeks. Supportive treatment can include:

• saline nasal sprays
• decongestant sprays (for a limited period of time- always read the label! Overuse can lead to “rebound” or worsening symptoms.)
• anti allergy nasal sprays (which may contain corticosteroids and/or an antihistamine)
• simple over the counter analgesia (painkillers) from the pharmacy
• antihistamine medications (if allergies are contributing to your symptoms)

Antibiotics are sometimes prescribed where it appears there may be a bacterial sinus infection that is not getting better by itself.

In most cases, sinusitis follows on from a common cold or flu like illness. However, some other conditions can make sinusitis more likely to occur, such as:

• hay fever
• smoking or passive smoking
• physical abnormalities in the nose/sinuses that affect drainage- e.g. a deviated septum or polyps.
• a compromised immune system
• a medical condition such as Cystic Fibrosis

In some cases, a bout of sinusitis can continue for more than 3 months- this is known as chronic sinusitis. Some people who suffer from chronic sinusitis continue to have mild symptoms on an ongoing basis, with flare ups of acute sinusitis from time to time. Serious complications of acute sinusitis are rare, but can include meningitis, cellulitis (skin/soft tissue infection), and spread of bacterial infection to other parts of the body.

In the majority of cases, sinusitis can be diagnosed based on the history of your symptoms. Sometimes a doctor may recommend  further testing, such as a scan/imaging, if symptoms are continuing for months. If you have ongoing or frequently recurring symptoms, you may also need to be referred to an Ear Nose and Throat specialist who may wish to perform a camera test (nasal endoscopy), to take a closer look at your nasal passages and sinuses. A nasal swab to test for certain infections, or tests to check for allergies may also be occasionally considered in such cases.

Yes, in most cases, acute sinusitis gets better after a few weeks, with simple, supportive treatment, such as rest, fluids and over-the-counter nasal sprays/painkillers, However, in some cases, if it is getting worse or not settling in the expected timeframe, a doctor may consider prescribed treatments.

Sinusitis that lasts longer than 12 weeks is said to be “chronic”. Some people suffer from mild chronic sinusitis and experience flare ups where it becomes “acute” and more symptomatic.

The most common symptoms of acute sinusitis are:

• facial pain or pressure that feels worse when you lean forward/bend over.
• congested or stuffy nose
• nasal discharge which may be yellow/green

Other symptoms include:

• A sense of pressure in the ears
• Headache
• Impaired sense of smell
• An ache in your teeth
• Cough
• Halitosis (bad breath)
• Fatigue
• Fever