Migraines are often mistaken for sinus infections, and are treated with antibiotics. The reson for this confusion is that migraines can cause pain in the area of sinuses and some people will even have a clear discharge from their nose during a migraine attack. Sinus infection is really easy to diagnose – it usually causes a yellow or green discharge from the nose. But even if you do have a true sinus infections antibiotics are usually unnecessary because the infection is caused by a virus and viral infections do not respond to antibiotics. This well-know fact is confirmed in a new study which was just published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The study involved 166 adults with a sinus infection who were given either a placebo or an antibiotic for 10 days. There was no difference between the two groups in the satisfaction with the treatment, the amount of time missed from work, and every other parameter measured. The authors (doctors at Washington University in St. Louis) do recommend starting antibiotics if the condition does not after 5 – 7 days.
