Usually no - most sinus infections are viral and clear without antibiotics.
The CDC lists the patterns that justify them: symptoms past 10 days without improving, symptoms that worsen after getting better, or fever lasting more than 3 to 4 days. Even in those cases, many clinicians suggest watching for 2 to 3 more days or writing a delayed prescription you fill only if things do not improve, because unneeded antibiotics carry real harm, from rashes to C. diff. What actually helps while you wait: saline rinses, rest, fluids, and over-the-counter pain relief. Pymander is a free AI doctor, 24/7 by text, and can map your timeline onto these patterns so you know whether to get seen.
What to do
Common questions
Do I need antibiotics for a sinus infection?
Usually no. Most sinus infections are viral and get better on their own without antibiotics - the CDC is blunt that you do not need antibiotics for many of them. Antibiotics earn their place in specific patterns: symptoms lasting more than 10 days without improvement, symptoms that get worse after initially getting better (the double-worsening pattern that suggests bacteria moved in after a virus), fever lasting more than three to four days, or severe symptoms from the start. Even then, many clinicians recommend watchful waiting for two to three days or a delayed prescription you fill only if you do not improve, because unnecessary antibiotics cause side effects ranging from rashes to serious C. diff infections. While you wait: saline rinses, rest, fluids, and over-the-counter pain relief actually help. Pymander is a free AI doctor, 24/7 by text, that can walk your timeline with you and tell you which pattern you fit.