Baltimore City Wire

• The overuse of antibiotics prescribed for sinusitis can lead to health risks or the development of antibiotic resistance.
• Antibiotic resistance can increase risks for patients who develop infections after other medical procedures.
• Patients with chronic sinusitis have alternative treatment options, such as balloon sinuplasty.

Even though many doctors prescribe antibiotics for patients suffering from sinus infections, sinus specialists are saying that a growing concern about antibiotic resistance is one reason people should consider other alternatives.

“The more infections you have, the more antibiotics that are prescribed, the more bacterial resistance you have,” Dr. James Oberman of Frederick Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers told Baltimore City Wire. “So we're to the point where the antibiotics no longer work. You're developing what's called bacterial resistance.”

Sinus infections can result in nasal congestion, headaches, coughing, facial pain or discomfort, and nasal drainage. They are defined as either "acute," where the infection lasts less than four weeks, or "chronic," where it lasts more than 12 weeks.

When people have congestion and breathing problems, they often go to a doctor in the hopes of getting a prescription that will fight off the infection. WebMD reports that nearly 90% of adults with sinus infections who seek medical assistance are prescribed antibiotics for their treatment. 

That reliance on antibiotics, however, is contributing to the resistance Oberman mentioned. “Bacteria are smart microbes that are able to develop and adapt to what technology and medicine has developed, including antibiotics, and they develop the means to become resistant to those antibiotics,” he said.

Other medical reports support his position. A frequent use of antibiotics has been shown to change the patient's gut microbiota. That, in turn, can lead to a greater chance of a person developing chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). The AHA says that overusing antibiotics could also be a risk factor in premature death. 

Healthline suggests balloon sinuplasty as an alternative to consider if other treatments for this condition have been ineffective. Balloon sinuplasty is a simple in-office procedure and few complications have been associated with it, according to Healthline. There’s no cutting involved and no removal of bones or tissue during a balloon sinuplasty.

For more information on the symptoms of sinusitis and allergies, take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.