Cavernous sinus thrombosis is a serious condition that needs to be treated in hospital.
In most cases, you will be treated in an intensive care unit so your condition can be closely monitored.
Antibiotics
The main treatment for cavernous sinus thrombosis is antibiotic medication. This is started as soon as possible, even before tests have confirmed if a bacterial infection is responsible for the condition.
If tests later show that a bacterial infection did not cause the condition, antibiotic treatment may stop.
Most people will require at least a 3-4 week course of antibiotics to ensure the infection has been fully cleared from their body. These will be given through a drip directly connected to one of your veins.
Around 1 in 10 people will experience side effects when taking antibiotics. These are generally mild and can include diarrhoea, nausea and a rash on the skin.
Anticoagulants
In some cases, you may also be given a medication called heparin to help dissolve the clot and prevent further clots. Heparin is an anticoagulant, which means it makes the blood less sticky.
However, there are some doubts about the use of anticoagulant treatment for cavernous sinus thrombosis, such as when it should be used and how long treatment should last. There is also a risk of serious problems like excessive bleeding (haemorrhaging).
There is a lack of evidence concerning the use of anticoagulants for cavernous sinus thrombosis because the condition is so rare it is difficult to study. Nevertheless, the little research that does exist seems to suggest that anticoagulants can be an effective treatment for some people with cavernous sinus thrombosis and most doctors agree it should be used if appropriate.
Corticosteroids
You may also be given steroid medication (corticosteroids) in addition to antibiotics. Corticosteroids can help reduce levels of inflammation and swelling in your body.
However, as with anticoagulant therapy, there is little evidence concerning the effectiveness of corticosteroids in treating cavernous sinus thrombosis.
Nonetheless, corticosteroids are thought to be beneficial for some people with cavernous sinus thrombosis.
Surgical drainage
If the symptoms of cavernous sinus thrombosis were due to an infection spreading from a boil or sinusitis, then it may be necessary to drain away pus from that site. This can be done using a needle or during surgery.
Read more about treating abscesses.
