Sinusitis
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Learn more about the medications that can treat Sinusitis
Sinusitis key facts
Sinuses are small air-filled cavities or sacs located throughout the body. The most commonly known Sinuses are those that are located in the skull, near the nose. There are four paired cavities which are connected by narrow passages. These cavities are located between the eyes and behind the forehead, nose, and cheekbones.
Sinusitis or sinus infection is a medical term used to describe the inflammation of the mucous membranes that line the sinuses and is usually caused by an infection or irritants like allergens.
Sinusitis is fairly common and most cases usually resolve within 2-3 weeks and don’t require any treatment.
What are the causes of Sinusitis?
Sinusitis can be caused by:
Infections
Most adults will get colds or upper respiratory tract infections up to three times a year. Both viral and bacterial infections cause swelling of the tissues inside the nose and thickening of the normal mucus. This slows down or even stops proper sinus drainage and infection in the sinus may ensue.
Irritants
Air pollution, smoke and chemical irritants, for example, some sprays containing pesticides, disinfectants and household detergents, may cause swelling and blockage of the lining of the nose causing a narrowing of the drainage opening from the sinuses. This can once again lead to impairment of sinus drainage and consequent infection.
Allergies
Allergies can cause inflammation inside the nose. Common symptoms of an allergic reaction include nasal stuffiness, runny nose, sneezing and itchy watery eyes. Allergies are responsible for asthma in some patients and may also cause nasal stuffiness making the asthma more difficult to control.
Structural problems
Occasionally structural problems within the nasal cavity can cause a narrowing. Some of these can as a result of trauma while others may develop during the growth period. Occasionally the structural narrowing can be so severe that mucus builds up behind these areas of blockage giving rise to sinus infection.
What are the symptoms of Sinusitis?
Sinusitis is characterised by one or more of the following symptoms:
- Runny nose with thick yellow or green mucus
- Postnasal drip (mucus dripping down your throat)
- Blocked or stuffy nose
- Pressure around your nose, eyes and forehead, which gets worse when you move your head around or bend over
- Pressure or pain in your teeth
- Pressure or pain in your ears
- High temperature (Fever)
- Halitosis (bad breath)
- Cough
- Headache
- Tiredness
- Sounding nasal when speaking
Is Sinusitis contagious?
Sinusitis itself is not contagious. However, the viruses and bacteria that can cause it are. Always follow good handwashing and personal hygiene practices.
When to get advice from a GP
You should contact your GP if you suspect you have Sinusitis and you have:
- Had four or more annual episodes without persistent symptoms in the
- intervening periods
- symptoms that last for more than 12 weeks (indicates possible Chronic Sinusitis)
- An anatomic defect(s) causing nasal obstruction
- Nasal polyps
Check if you qualify for FREE treatment with NHS Pharmacy First, without seeing your GP
You can check your eligibility to use the NHS Pharmacy First service if you suspect you have Sinusitis and you:
- Are 18 years or over
The NHS Pharmacy First service may be suitable if you have:
- Nasal blockage (obstruction/congestion) OR
- Nasal discharge (anterior/posterior nasal drip)
AND ONE or more of the following:
- Facial pain/pressure (or headache) OR
- Reduction (or loss) of the sense of smell (in adults) OR
- altered speech indicating nasal obstruction, and tenderness, swelling or redness over the cheekbone or periorbital areas
- Symptoms that have been present for 10 days or more with little improvement
The NHS Pharmacy First service is available to all NowPatient users who are registered with the NHS in England. If you are exempt from paying for your prescriptions, the service and the treatments are provided free of charge. If you are not exempt from paying prescription charges, treatments are provided at the prevailing NHS prescription charge rate. There is no charge for consultations.
What NHS Pharmacy First treatments are available for Sinusitis?
If your Sinusitis symptoms persist for more than 10 days and you do not have a weakened immune system due to a particular health condition or medication that suppresses your immune system, then you may qualify to be treated under the NHS Pharmacy First service.
If the Pharmacy First clinician suspects that your Sinusitis needs treatment, then they may prescribe the following medications:
- Steroid nasal sprays or drops to reduce the swelling in your sinuses
- Antibiotics. However, this is not common as sinusitis is usually caused by a virus, not bacteria
Mild Sinusitis can be treated without seeing a GP by:
- Getting plenty of rest
- Drinking plenty of fluids
- Taking analgesia like paracetamol or ibuprofen (do not give aspirin to children under 16)
- Avoiding triggers like certain allergens
- Avoid smoking
- Cleaning your nose with a saltwater solution
- Using over-the-counter remedies like decongestant nasal sprays or drops that can unblock your nose
- Using antihistamines, if the cause of your Sinusitis is an allergy
To clean your nose with a saltwater solution, use the following method:
- Boil a pint of water
- Let the water cool
- Mix 1 teaspoon of table salt with 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda into the water.
- Now wash your hands
- While standing over a sink, cup the palm of 1 hand and our a small amount of the solution you made, into it
- Sniff the water into one nostril. Then breathe through your mouth and allow the water to pour back into the sink. Avoid letting the water trickle to the back of your throat
- Repeat the steps above, 3 times a day until your symptoms are more comfortable
If your Sinusitis does not resolve, you should contact your GP who may refer you to an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist if you:
- Still have sinusitis after 3 months of treatment
- Keep getting sinusitis
- Only have symptoms on 1 side of your face
Sources
Medical Disclaimer
NowPatient has taken all reasonable steps to ensure that all material is factually accurate, complete, and current. However, the knowledge and experience of a qualified healthcare professional should always be sought after instead of using the information on this page. Before taking any drug, you should always speak to your doctor or another qualified healthcare provider.
The information provided here about medications is subject to change and is not meant to include all uses, precautions, warnings, directions, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or negative effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a particular medication does not imply that the medication or medication combination is appropriate for all patients or for all possible purposes.
Service Guide
Everything you need to know about NHS Pharmacy First
What is NHS Pharmacy First?
What conditions do you treat with NHS Pharmacy First?
We assess and treat the following conditions:
- Sinusitis
- Sore throats
- Infected insect bites
- Impetigo
- Shingles
- Uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women
If treatments are prescribed, they are dispensed and delivered to your home or workplace from NowPatient’s online pharmacy.
Is this a safe service?
How will I know that the service is being provided by a trustworthy clinician?
Our clinicians are board-certified pharmacists who can also prescribe selected medications for six common treatable conditions, which is set out by the NHS. Our clinicians are registered with their respective regulatory bodies. For example, a pharmacist is registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). Each clinician undergoes an extensive background check including a disclosure and barring service check (DBS). In addition, they undergo a rigorous license verification process. When you book an appointment with one of our clinicians you will see their full name, license number, and any specialized credentials they have.
Is the service available in the United States and the United Kingdom?
No. At the moment, it is only available in England.
Can I use NowPatient’s NHS Pharmacy First feature if I live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland?
This service is commissioned by NHS England and is only available to patients in England. You will not be able to use the feature if you live in Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland.
Do I need to pay for this service?
This is a FREE service for NHS-registered users. If you are prescribed medication at the end of your assessment and you are not exempt from NHS prescription charges, then you will need to pay a single NHS prescription charge, which is currently £9.90. If you are exempt from prescription charges, for example, if you are on Income Support or aged over 60, then you will not be charged.
How do I know if I qualify?
- Sore throats
- Sinusitis
- Infected insect bites
- Impetigo
- Shingles
- Uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women
What are the next steps, if I qualify?
Will you have access to my GP records?
Yes, as an NHS patient, our pharmacists will be able to access to your GP record including medications, observations, and investigations. This ensures we are able to assess and treat your condition safely and appropriately.
What happens during the remote video consultation?
During the consultation, the clinician will ask you a series of questions that will allow the clinician to diagnose your health condition and consider possible treatment options. At the end of the consultation, the clinician will decide if a treatment plan is a safe and appropriate option for you.
If it is, the clinician will discuss the various treatment options that may be available, so that you can jointly agree on the option that is most suited to you. Once you have jointly agreed on a treatment plan, the clinician will issue a prescription order which will be available in your ‘shopping cart’ at the end of the consultation.
Also, with your consent, the clinician may wish to inform your GP of the treatment that was prescribed. We recommend that you agree to this since your GP is responsible for your overall care and they should have a record of this consultation and medication prescribed. In addition, our clinician may take the opportunity to advise you on your overall health including advice on healthy living or stop smoking.
What happens at the end of the consultation?
At the end of the consultation, you will receive a notification which will summarise the outcome. It will also advise if any signposting to other NHS services were made or if referrals were made to your GP, along with any other advice that was given to you by the clinician.
If a GP referral letter was issued, you will be able to view a copy of this in the ‘My Documents’ section of your dashboard.
If you were prescribed a treatment plan, it will now be available in your shopping cart. When you go to your shopping cart, you will be able to checkout and make a payment or claim an exemption. Remember, you only make a payment If you are NOT exempt from NHS prescription charges. Once the checkout is complete, your prescription order will be sent to our NHS online pharmacy for processing.
What if the clinician does not prescribe a treatment?
We operate a safe and effective service. This means that our clinicians always exercise their clinical judgment when prescribing. Unfortunately, we do not operate a service where you can demand a certain medication. If you are not prescribed anything, then you will not be charged.
Will I get status updates for my order?
Yes. When you place an order with NowPatient, we will keep you fully updated with the status of your order. Every time the status of your order changes, you will be notified immediately. These notifications will appear in your ‘My Notifications’ section on your dashboard. You can click the notification and it will take you to your active orders screen which will give you a timeline overview of the progress of your order. This can also be accessed using the ‘My Orders’ quick action widget which is on your dashboard. Here, you can access active and past orders.
How will my order be delivered?
All orders are shipped in discreet and unmarked packaging. This means it is suitable for delivery wherever you require (home, work, or a neighbour). For thermo-sensitive orders (e.g. Insulin or weight loss injections) we use cold chain-validated packaging. Your parcel will normally receive an estimated delivery window from the courier on the day of delivery.
For your protection and safety, your first order can only be delivered to the address that is registered with the NHS. Future orders can be delivered to any other address, for example, your workplace.
Do you ship cold-chain or temperature sensitive products?
Yes. We use a specialist courier service for all thermo-sensitive deliveries. This is to ensure that cold chain integrity is always maintained and thus the product quality, safety and efficacy.
Learn more about how we handle the delivery of temperature sensitive products.
Where do you deliver?
We currently deliver to all postcodes in England. Some postcodes in rural areas may have a slightly longer delivery time.
When will my order arrive?
- Royal Mail Standard Tracked & Signed for Delivery for NHS prescriptions – 2/3 day delivery (normally 48 hours)
- DHL Express Tracked Delivery – 1/2 day delivery (normally 24 hours)
- Royal Mail Special Delivery – Next working day (Royal Mail Guaranteed before 1pm)
What should I do if my order has not arrived?
Delivery is normally made promptly after your dispatch notification is received. You can check the tracking details of your order in the ‘My Notifications’ section of your dashboard, at any point after dispatch.
Unfortunately, packages can sometimes get lost in the delivery system, if after 10 days you have not received your delivery, please contact us and we will do all we can to resolve the problem.
About Telehealth
Everything you need to know about video consultations
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Who owns NowPatient?
NowPatient is owned and operated by Infohealth Ltd, a licensed online pharmacy with services spanning the UK, US and Rest of the World. Infohealth Ltd is registered in England and Wales under company number 04004930 and our registered office is at Lynwood House, 373 – 375 Station Road, Harrow, England, HA1 2AW.
Our website is www.nowpatient.com. Our App is called “NowPatient” and can be downloaded from the App Store (for Apple devices) or Google Play (for Android devices).
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NowPatient’s Pharmaceutical services in the UK are provided by Infohealth Limited trading as ‘Infohealth Pharmacy’.
Our dispensing pharmacy is regulated and authorized for internet sales by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), registration number 1036487. You can view our license credentials on the General Pharmaceutical Council website. Our superintendent pharmacist who is responsible for the safe and effective oversight of medicines supplies is Mr Amish Patel (Registration Number 2042705).
Medicines are not ordinary items of commerce. All medicines or healthcare product sales are made under the supervision of a registered pharmacist who is licensed by the GPhC. At all times, we endeavour to provide a professional and transparent service whose primary goal is to ensure that the best interests of the patient are served.
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Our prescribing services are regulated by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). We provide the following regulated activity:
• treatment of disease, disorder, or injury
• transport services, triage, and medical advice are provided remotely
• caring for adults over 65 years old
• caring for adults under 65 years old
NowPatient prescribing services are run by Infohealth Limited. The Clinical Safety Officer and nominated individual is Mr Navin Khosla.
Can you tell me more about NowPatient’s US services?
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You can lower the cost of your prescription medications using our various savings programs which include drug coupons, savings card and manufacturer-sponsored patient assistance programs.
We do not provide any prescribing services or dispensing services in the United States.
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