How long does amoxicillin take to work for sinus infection

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Amoxicillin is one of the most commonly prescribed antibiotics for the treatment of a sinus infection, also known as sinusitis.

It is an "aminopenicillin" antibiotic, similar to penicillin, but has a broader spectrum of activity, meaning it covers more types of bacteria.

How Does Amoxicillin Work?

After starting therapy, amoxicillin will begin to work faster than many other antibiotics since it is "bactericidal", which means it kills bacteria. This is in contrast to "bacteriostatic" antibiotics, which slow the growth and reproduction of bacteria but don't kill them directly.

Specifically, amoxicillin works by inhibiting bacterial cell wall synthesis by binding to what is known as penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs). These are located inside the bacterial cell wall.

Amoxicillin's ability to interfere with PBPs in the cell wall ultimately leads to cell lysis (i.e. the cell bursts).

How Fast Does Amoxicillin Work?

Amoxicillin will begin to work quickly after taking a dose. It's quickly absorbed, and peak concentrations in the blood occur around 1 to 2 hours after administration.

However, in general, it will take between 24-72 hours (1-3 days) to notice an improvement in symptoms. So, while amoxicillin goes to work quickly, it still takes time for our immune system to clear toxins and reduce inflammation.

What If You Don't Start To Feel Better?

Most studies, such as the guidelines to treat ear infections in children, recommend that if no clinical improvement is seen within 48-72 hours of starting amoxicillin, therapy should be reevaluated.

Similarly, the American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines for the treatment of sinusitis states the following:

"Amoxicillin with or without clavulanate is the firstline treatment of acute bacterial sinusitis. Clinicians should reassess initial management if there is either a caregiver report of worsening (progression of initial signs/symptoms or appearance of new signs/symptoms) or failure to improve within 72 hours of initial management."

So overall, amoxicillin is absorbed quickly after taking a dose by mouth, and you should feel improvement in your symptoms within 72 hours. If you do not, it is important to speak with your doctor as your infection may be resistant to the antibiotic, and alternative therapy options should be considered.

Alternative therapies include:

  • Augmentin (amoxicillin; clavulanic acid)
  • Doxycycline
  • Clindamycin
  • Levofloxacin (uncommonly used as the risks tend to outweigh the benefits)

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 How long does a sinus infection last?

Sinus infections can last many days. Viral sinus infections are usually the worst 3 to 6 days after they start, and then begin to get better by day 10. A viral sinus infection can develop into a bacterial infection, which typically lasts longer than 10 days. Once a bacterial sinus infection is diagnosed and treated, patients usually respond to antibiotics in 2-3 days and sinus infections resolve anywhere between 7-14 days after that.

There are three types of sinusitis and they are based on the length of your symptoms:   

  • Acute Sinusitis - symptoms lasting for less than 4 weeks
  • Subacute Sinusitis - symptoms lasting for 4-12 weeks
  • Chronic Sinusitis - symptoms lasting for more than 12 weeks


  • Is a sinus infection contagious?


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Amoxicillin fights infections in the body within an hour after someone takes it. The penicillin-based medication gets its strength from consistent use of multiple doses per day. It relieves symptoms within 72 hours — and often sooner.

How Quickly Does Amoxicillin Work?

Amoxicillin is a fast-acting antibiotic that begins working almost immediately after someone takes a dose, and it reaches full effectiveness about an hour or two later.

However, taking amoxicillin does not relieve symptoms of infection immediately. It takes most people around 72 hours to feel better when taking antibiotics, though some people notice improvements sooner within one or two days (24-48 hours).

A person’s antibiotic resistance may also cause amoxicillin to take longer to work. This occurs when bacteria adapt their biology enough to avoid being killed by the antibiotic.

Taking antibiotics frequently may lead to the bacteria in your body developing more resistance to the medications. Always let your doctor know if your antibiotics do not seem to work as intended.

Some Foods May Impact Amoxicillin’s Absorption

Some medical evidence shows that certain foods and drinks may slow down amoxicillin’s effects. According to some studies, green tea interferes with the absorption of antibiotics.

Caffeine is generally considered safe to consume while taking amoxicillin. However, the relationship between green tea, which is highly caffeinated, and amoxicillin is still under investigation because of caffeine’s potential effect on gut bacteria. Researchers say they need data from more studies to determine if and how much caffeine may interfere with amoxicillin absorption.

Unlike some medications, amoxicillin does not come with label warnings to avoid alcohol when taking the medication. Multiple studies show that drinking alcoholic beverages slows down the rate at which the body absorbs the drug but does not affect the overall extent of its absorption.

How Long Will Amoxicillin Work After Taking It?

Amoxicillin works the entire time it’s in your body. The maximum safe dose of amoxicillin is 4,000 mg per day, according to the drug’s label, but few people need to take that much.

Dosing schedules keep amoxicillin in your system continuously, making the drug work more effectively to fight your infection.  The University of California San Francisco recommends the following dosage limits:

  • Suspension: 1,000 mg per dose twice a day (2000 mg in total)
  • Tablets: 1,000 mg per dose (two 500 mg tablets) taken twice a day
  • Amoxicillin-clavulanate (Augmentin) tablets: 2,000 mg (two 1,000 mg tablets) per dose, twice a day, if you have acute bacterial sinusitis with systemic illness, a high fever or a compromised immune system

While amoxicillin does work the entire time it’s in your system, it becomes less effective after the first few hours. This is why doctors prescribe it in multiple daily doses and not one larger dose per day. Spacing out doses gives your body a fresh supply of amoxicillin every few hours, allowing you to fight an infection around the clock.

Doctors may prescribe more frequent doses of amoxicillin if they feel you would benefit from more consistent support while you heal. For instance, doctors usually treat a lower respiratory tract infection with 875 mg of amoxicillin taken twice a day. However, doctors sometimes prescribe 500 mg of amoxicillin taken three times a day to keep the drug at more consistent levels in your body.

How Long Does Amoxicillin Stay in Your System?

Amoxicillin stays in your system for 24 hours. But the estimate depends on the dosage. The amount of amoxicillin taken at one time impacts its half-life.

A drug’s half-life is the time it takes for only half of the drug to be present in your blood after your last dose. Amoxicillin’s half-life is around 60 minutes.

After 360 minutes (six hours), less than 2% of the drug will still be in your system. Your body will process the last traces of the drug for the rest of the day.

Larger doses of amoxicillin (ones greater than 500 mg in capsule or tablet form or 5.5 mcg/mL in suspension form) get processed more slowly. Such dosages have a half-life of two hours and will take about 12 hours to reach the same 2% marker. The medication remains in your system about twice as long as lower doses.

When to Stop Taking Amoxicillin

One of the chief labeling guidelines of amoxicillin is to finish the prescription. Doctors reinforce this. Do not stop taking amoxicillin until your doctor says it is OK or until you run out of your prescription.

Antibiotics like amoxicillin need time to clear bacteria out of your body. Most people feel better long before amoxicillin eradicates all of the bad bacteria, leading them to believe that they are cured. This is not true.

If infectious bacteria remain in your body and you stop short of finishing your prescription of amoxicillin, you could suffer a relapse of your infection. Taking your medication exactly as prescribed prevents this from happening. If you have questions about amoxicillin or the instructions for your specific prescription, speak with your doctor.

Please seek the advice of a medical professional before making health care decisions.

How long does it take for a sinus infection to go away with amoxicillin?

Patients will usually respond to antibiotics within two to three days after a bacterial sinus infection is diagnosed and treated. After that, sinus infections can resolve anywhere between seven and 14 days.

Will amoxicillin knock out a sinus infection?

How effective are amoxicillin and Augmentin for treating sinus infections? Amoxicillin and Augmentin are both first-choice antibiotics for treating most bacterial sinus infections. For initial treatment, these medications work just as well as other antibiotics that cover a broader range of bacteria.

How long does it take for amoxicillin to kick in?

Amoxicillin starts addressing the bacteria that are causing your infection immediately, but you will not feel better immediately. Amoxicillin will typically help you to start feeling better within a few days. However, it may take up to 4-5 days before your symptoms improve.

Why won't my sinus infection go away with antibiotics?

Why Won't My Sinus Infection Go Away with Antibiotics? There are few reasons that antibiotics may be ineffective for sinusitis. Antibiotics are only capable of killing bacteria, so inflammation from other sources can't be managed by them. Sinusitis is often a result of a viral infection like a cold or the flu.