Bacitracin and Sinus infections?

Question

I have had boughts of chronic sinusitus for many years. I have tried just about everything including turbinate reduction with limited success. I have found that the best medicine is an extremely clean, healthy lifestyle, good diet and good sleep. But I dont always live perfectly. Regardless of what I do I usually still am able to cough small amounts of green or yellow mucous in the morning. My question is two parts.

1) Is it normal to be able to suck small amounts of green mucous out of my sinusus in the morning. (pretty gorss I know)

2) I found when I use a combination of saline spray and topical bacitracin in the morning and night it seems to somewhat stave off any falre ups. Does bacitracin kill or contain sinus infections? can I use it on going without building a tolerance to it like oral antibiotics?

Answer 1

No, it is not "normal" to suck small amounts of green mucous out of your sinuses daily...or to cough up mucous daily. That is, if "normal" is a healthy non-smoking person without sinus and allergy problems. But, it can become fairly "normal" in smokers, or people with bad sinus and allergy problems.

There is now thought to be even more of a link between allergies and sinusitis than thought previously.

The saline spray is a great idea. I would even suggest Oasis Nasal Spray, which has additional ingredients, such as Magnesium, that help prevent inflammation. I believe you can only get it at Walgreens right now...(?).

Also, daily prescription nasal steroids might also be very beneficial for you.

And for you chronic problems, you should stay clear of the chronic use of nasal decongestant sprays...which will only aggravate your problem in the long run.

Also, consider reducing comon allergens in your house that may be aggravating your problems. For instance, put special allergy covering sheets on your bed box springs and around your mattress (under your regular sheets), etc.

Finally, steamy showers are helpful...breath in all that moist, hot air in the morning will help loosen all that junk up...and you can sneeze, hack, and cough a lot of that junk up each morning (pretty gross, as you say...but helpful).

Of course, if you smoke - all bets are off. Quitting smoking is by FAR the number one most important thing you can do to help with your problems.

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As for bacitracin, it is a relatively weak topical antibiotic that is active against only some bacteria. It wouldn't effectively treat or cure sinusitis, but may reduce the quantitiy of some strains of bacteria in your nose. And yes, bacteria will adapt/mutate and become more resistant to bacitracin, as with other antibiotics. Furthermore, by using this, you are creating an environment for more resitant bacteria (that don't respond to bacitracin) to grow in greater numbers (as you kill off other bacteria that do not contribute to your problems).

But these are just some theories and thoughts...

Hope they helped answer your questions some.

Answer 2

Bacitracin Spray

Answer 3

no.