Topical Medication for Sinus Infections

Sinus infections are fairly common, affecting some 30 million individuals in the United States alone. Though not always serious, some people get sinus infections bad enough to debilitate them in some way because of sinus pressure headaches, facial pain, congestion and general fatigue. If you seek professional help for the treatment of sinus infections, chances are, you would be given a decongestant, nasal corticosteroid and an anti-microbial.

Because it’s easy and non-invasive, the most common route for administering medications, as you know, would be through the mouth (orally). Unfortunately, when you take medication for your sinus infection through the mouth, the active ingredients of the drug obviously do not go directly into the sinus where you intend them to work. The medication goes through the whole cascade of processes including digestion, biotransformation and absorption. Only when it is absorbed in the circulating bloodstream can the drug finally do its purpose. Also, you might have heard of some drugs having systemic effects when taken orally. This means the drug exerts its effects not only in the area where you want it to work, but through your whole body system. For example, most decongestants work by causing constriction of the blood vessels. While vasoconstriction on the inflamed vessels of your nose could make your breathing less congested, the rest of your blood vessels are momentarily constricted as well. This is not something to worry about for most people, unless you are already hypertensive. Even a transient vasoconstriction can cause the already elevated blood pressure to shoot up to levels that could be potentially dangerous.

Right Where It Should Be
Systemic effects of medications taken orally must have been one of the considerations for coming up with topical medication. Topical means “local” or “in a particular place”. Creams and lotions that are applied on a particular affected area are examples of topical administration. For sinus infections, decongestants in the form of metered dose sprays are also examples of topical medication. This type of medication acts faster because the medication is applied directly on the affected surface. And while it totally doesn’t eliminate the possibility of the drug having systemic effects, the chances are very much reduced because it would take prolonged use in excessive amounts to have enough amounts of the drug in the body to cause systemic effects.

Nowadays, compounding pharmacies are very much back in business to customize medications fit for various patients. Sinus Dynamics has a compounding pharmacy that specializes in topical medications for sinus infections and nasal allergies. By compounding medications suitable for use with an irrigator, a patient can now irrigate his or her sinus not only to flush out particles and excessive mucus, but also to deliver medication directly on the inflamed and congested nasal and sinus membranes. A compounding pharmacy now makes medicated irrigation possible. As for nebulization, on the other hand, nebulizers nowadays are not limited to aerosolizing bronchodilators for asthma patients. Especially compounded antibiotics, anti-fungals and decongestants for nebulization can now be availed for topical administration through nebulization.

Aside from their compounded medications, Sinus Dynamics also have products like ActiveSinus, a medical irrigator and SinusAero, a nebulizer.