Antibiotics, if taken for long enough, do work, but the side effects
are such that it is not a good idea, imho. I think we have become too
reliant on them, and it leads to infections that are resistant to what
we have. Antibiotics kill off the good bacteria in your gut, which
leads to digestive issues, and possibly a lower immune response, since
you are missing out on nutrients from your food. Then there are
infections like thrush that take hold, and are not easy to treat.

Probiotics taken at the same time as, and after, your course of
antibiotics, can help. But for what its worth, I have only once had
success with a sinus infection by taking antibiotics. The next time I
took the same ones, it had no effect.

I have changed my diet and lifestyle and now rarely have sinusitis
symptoms. I think you need to pin down the cause, and it varies. A
common one is allergies (so infections are worse in spring). Sometimes
it flares up after you get the flu, or during the flu. Another cause
of congestion in general can be food allergies or intolerances.

A change of diet to a detox type diet did me the world of good.
Simplify - eat whole foods, drink more water, and avoid excess wheat,
sugar, yeast, and artificial additives. This is best done under the
supervision of a naturopath or similar practitioner. Then after a few
weeks you introduce other foods, and check your symptoms.

For example, if you eat pasta or pastry with your evening meal, and
feel stuffed up in the nose next morning, you might blame wheat, and
know to eat less of it, or avoid it altogether.

Anyway, that is just one approach.

If spring allergies are the problem, there are ways and means of
taking care of those too. Or dust allergies. Well worth having an
allergen test to see what you react to, and trying to avoid those
triggers.

For what its worth, I found more help through alternative medicine
than conventional doctors. It may take a little longer, but its a
holistic approach, looking at your diet, lifestyle, exercise, stress
levels, etc. and making gradual changes where necessary. Also
supplements, diet changes, and other recommendations.

I know this may be more information than you expected from a short
question, but if your sinusitis has become chronic, there may be
something here you can use.

I guess the short answer is that if you allow your own immune system
the resources to deal with the infection itself, it can and will.

kim

2009/2/5 mpgwyn <mpgwyn@...>:

> In a former post, you wrote that you would never take antibiotics
> again unless life threatening. I have the same feeling, but currently
> I am having tons of greenish yellow drainage down the back of my
> throat. How do you get rid of an infection without antibiotics? Do
> you do lots of irrigation???? Do you think it's safe to let it go?

--
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My inferiority complex is not as good as yours.
Robin Banks
bluefilly@...
Marlene Dietrich - "Most women set out to try to change a man, and
when they have changed him they do not like him