An upper respiratory infection can lead to what's going around this week.
It's sinus infections that Nurse Practitioner Linda Eckerson at McLaren Greater Lansing - DeWitt Family Medicine is treating.
Primary symptoms include: facial pain or pressure, nasal stuffiness, nasal discharge, loss of smell, cough and congestion. You may also have a fever, bad breath, or dental pain, or be fatigued.
If you treat a sinus infection early at home, you might avoid having to go to the doctor for antibiotics.
Use nasal saline spray, take a decongestant, try a sinus rinse solution, and apply warm compresses. You'll also want to humidify the air, increase fluids and rest. Acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help with aches and pains.
If those at-home remedies don't bring relief in a day or two, see your doctor. Bacterial and fungal sinus infections usually require antibiotic or antifungal therapy.
