• Antibiotics are commonly prescribed for sinusitis.
• Doctors warn that overuse of antibiotics can lead to the development of "antibiotic resistance," which can cause serious health complications.
• Patients looking for a long-term solution have treatment options such as balloon sinuplasty.
Dr. Matt Hershcovitch of SoCal Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers said that doctors oftentimes overprescribe antibiotics, which can then lead to consequential health risks.
"Antibiotic resistance and immunity is a huge problem in medicine," Hershcovitch said. "Chronic sinusitis is a very difficult thing to treat and is often overtreated or unsuccessfully treated with multiple rounds of antibiotics. This leads to bacterial resistance, which makes future infections harder to treat and puts the patients at risk for serious complications."
Hershcovitch shared his recommendations for people suffering from chronic sinusitis who want to try something different for treatment.
"The best thing to do is actually to restore normal sinus function. When sinuses are not functioning properly, they lead to significant bacterial overgrowth, stagnation of airflow, and you have this really thick, nasty moist environment of the sinuses that bacteria love. What we can do is actually dilate and enlarge the passageways open to the sinuses. This achieves two things: It restores normal airflow and function of the sinuses, and that allows the sinuses to drain out. When air goes in, it becomes dry. A dry sinus is a happy and healthy sinus. That's what we aim to achieve with our patients."
According to WebMD, 90% of U.S. adults diagnosed with acute sinusitis -- a sinus infection lasting less than four weeks -- are prescribed antibiotics. Chronic sinusitis, in comparison, is a sinus infection that lasts more than 12 weeks. Symptoms can include nasal congestion, headaches, coughing, facial pain or discomfort and nasal drainage.
The American Heart Association reported that antibiotic overuse can lead to changes in a patient's gut microbiota, which can increase the risk of chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer, as well as premature death.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), those who develop resistances to antibiotics can face increased risk if they develop infections related to other medical procedures, such as joint replacements, organ transplants and diabetes treatment.
Chronic sinusitis patients have alternative treatment options available, such as the balloon sinuplasty procedure.
Healthline reported that balloon sinuplasty is frequently recommended for those suffering from chronic sinusitis after other treatments for their condition have failed. The procedure is straightforward, and reported complications are minimal, involving no cutting or removal of bones or tissue. Following a balloon sinuplasty, many patients are able to resume their activities within one or two days. Some patients are even able to drive themselves home after the procedure.
To learn more about the symptoms of sinusitis and allergies, take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.
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