Therapeutic target
Relief of symptoms: Improvement of nasal breathing
Therapy recommendations
- Symptomatic therapy of rhinitis (vasoconstrictor nasal drops; the efficacy of nasal rinses or nasal sprays with NaCl solution (saline) and steam inhalation is assessed differently).
- Viral infection is not treated with antibiotics. Furthermore, a mild acute bacterial infection in an immunocompetent patient is usually not an indication (indication) for antibiotic therapy.Note: The disease is caused by a variety of viruses – more than 200 viruses can be possible triggers, especially rhinoviruses (a genus of picornavirus) and adenoviruses – or bacteria – especially pneumo-, strepto- and staphylococci. Most often, bacteria first multiply on a nasal mucosa damaged by viral rhinitis (bacterial super/secondary infection, ie second infection).
- Indications for antibiotic therapy in acute rhinosinusitis (ARS) are:
- Impending complications (severe headache, swelling, lethargy).
- Severe or very severe pain and elevated levels of inflammation (CRP).
- Detection of Moraxella catarrhalis, pneumococci or hemophilus influenzae in the nasal swab.
- Secretion detection (secretion level or total shadowing) by computed tomography (CT).
- If acute rhinopharyngitis (common cold) is present: see below pharyngitis.
- See also under “Further therapy“.
