Many cases of acute sinusitis will resolve on their own, without the need for any medications. This is especially true if the symptoms occur during an episode of the common cold. In this case, the doctor may recommend over-the-counter medications to help with the symptoms such as decongestants (e.g. pseudoephedrine) and pain relievers (e.g. ibuprofen, aspirin). Saline irrigation or nasal sprays may also help relieve sinusitis symptoms.

If your symptoms last longer than two weeks or persist after the other symptoms of a cold have abated, the doctor may suspect that a bacterial infection is causing your sinusitis. If the doctor suspects that your sinusitis is caused by a bacterial infection, he or she may prescribe antibiotics to help kill the bacteria. Antibiotics commonly prescribed for this purpose include amoxicillin (Amoxil, Trimox) or doxycycline (Doryx, Monodox).

If you have allergies or asthma as well as sinusitis, the doctor may recommend that you take medications to help control these other conditions such as inhaled steroids or beta agonists. If these other conditions are not controlled, you may continue to suffer from bouts of sinusitis. 

Chronic or recurrent sinusitis can be difficult to treat. The major treatments options are a long course of antibiotics or prescription inhaled corticosteroids, either alone or in combination. If the symptoms do not respond to treatment, an oral corticosteroid such as prednisone may be prescribed.

To help treat the symptoms, decongestants and anti-histamines (either over-the-counter or prescription strength) may be prescribed to help relieve some of the worst symptoms. Saline nasal sprays may be used to help loosen dried mucus and indoor humidifiers can help promote sinus drainage. While these treatments may help improve symptoms, they will not cure the underlying problem or prevent symptoms from recurring.

If you have chronic sinusitis that is not helped by more than one type of antibiotics and continues to resist all attempts at medication, your doctor may suggest endoscopic sinus surgery. This surgery involves using a nasal endoscope, a thin, flexible tube with an attached light threaded through the nose, to explore your sinus passages. The goal of surgery is to improve sinus drainage and reduce blockage of the nasal passages. This can be accomplished by removing any obstructions that are narrowing the sinuses, such as polyps. It may also involve removing or reshaping bone if there is an underlying anatomic anomaly such as a deviated septum. Finally, the surgeon may enlarge the natural sinus opening to aid drainage. Many people find relief from their symptoms after surgery, but a substantial number of people have their symptoms recur after surgery.