Kristina K. Carlton:
> Went to the dentist to have a crown taken off, decay removed from the
> tooth, and temp crown put back on. Dentist thinks I also have a sinus 
> infection and I admit I still have a stuffy nose and occasionally 
> cough up mucus. He prescribed augmentin, 7 days, 1,500 mg a day. I 
> would rather not take an antibiotic.
>
> What can I do from a paleo standpoint? Will a sinus infection
> eventually go away on its own?

Hey, it sounds like I diagnosed that one accurately. I guess I should have
been a doctor. ;-) If it were me and I was feeling lousy I would follow the
dentist's advice and take the meds (I didn't know that dentist's could
prescribe meds for a sinus infection, but it makes some sense given that
sinus problems can be a side effect of dental surgeries). If it IS a
bacterial sinus infection you'll feel much better fairly rapidly and wish
you had gotten the prescription much sooner--just be sure to follow the
instructions and take all the meds that they indicate. Then I would work on
figuring out how to reduce my risk of future infections. Keeping the sinuses
hydrated during the winter by drinking plenty of water and using a
well-cleaned humidifier is helpful here. Some people also use a saline nasal
spray or sinus irrigator. 

Some might take the view that taking any antibiotics when the symptoms are
minor is a bad idea because of a risk of a negative effect on the gut flora.
If you have intestinal problems then you'll have to weigh whether the risk
to your flora is worth the benefit of bringing the infection to an end. If
you are in good health then the infection should end on its own in less than
8 weeks, and it does sound like it's weakening (though I've had sinus
infections in years past that got stronger again after weakening--major
bummer). 

If you decide not to go the antibiotic route you could try the home remedies
like running a humidifier at night and using nasal irrigation to try to wash
out some of the bacteria and keep the sinuses flowing. You can buy a nasal
irrigator, though I accidentally found I can achieve the same thing with an
inexpensive saline nasal spray by holding the bottle horizontally and
spraying a continuous stream instead of a spray or a few drops. It goes
through the nostril and sinuses and down into the throat. It's not as bad as
it sounds. A "steam bath" or steamy shower or putting your head over a bowl
of hot, steamy water can help get the mucus to come up.

If you are unsure what to do you can discuss your concerns with your dentist
or general practitioner, as we are all amateurs here and any advice we give
could be totally bogus. I don't even play a doctor on TV. :-)

Good luck with it.