A 52-year-old man with an 8-day history
- Nasal obstruction
- Frontal headache
- Productive cough with green phlegm each morning
Patient does not appear very sick but is clearly bothered by his symptoms.
Does he need antibiotics?
Uncomplicated Sinusitis:
Most cases are viral. You should consider antibiotics
ONLY
in the following:
- Symptoms have been present for at least 7 days AND
- There are at least 2 of the PODS symptoms AND
- One of the symptoms is O or D AND
- The symptoms are severe OR they are still present after a 3 day trial of nasal corticosteroids.
P - facial
P
ain, pressure or fullness
O - Nasal
O
bstruction
D - Nasal purulence or discoloured postnasal
D
rainage
S - Hyposmia or anosmia (
S
mell)