A sinus infection can make people feel awful. Besides the congestion, inflammation and pain there is a kind of spaciness that accompanies sinusitis. It makes it hard to think or do anything that requires concentration. That’s why people with sinusitis are anxious to overcome the infection and inflammation as quickly as possible.
For years, pediatric experts have recommended amoxicillin for sinusitis in children. That’s because this penicillin-like antibiotic is the drug of choice for the kind of infections that normally affect ears and sinuses. A new study shows that amoxicillin is being prescribed more frequently, in accordance with the American Academy of Pediatrics’ guidelines. But it also suggests that broad-spectrum antibiotics are still being prescribed far more often than is warranted. The investigators urge pediatricians to use antibiotics more judiciously and follow guidelines established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
