Most cases of sinusitis heal on their own, with no need for antibiotics. | Stock photo
Most cases of sinusitis heal on their own, with no need for antibiotics. | Stock photo
Every year, 2.8 million people contract an antibiotic-resistant illness, resulting in 35,000 deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
It's no secret that the prevalence of antibiotics can cause drugs to be ineffective if they are overused. For the doctors at Michigan ENT & Allergy Specialists, there are promising treatments, aside from antibiotics, that are available to patients who are suffering from chronic sinusitis.
“I really enjoy discussing options with my patients," Dr. Richard Strabbing of Michigan ENT & Allergy Specialists told South Michigan News. "Balloon sinuplasty and other minimally invasive sinus procedures done in the office give my patients great options. Quick recovery, super results and life-changing benefits for patients are often seen. It has been exciting to be an ENT over the last few years and be able to offer my patients great solutions with minimal downtime.”
One minimally invasive procedure option, other than functional endoscopic sinus surgery, would be the XprESS multi-sinus dilation system, according to the journal of Applied Health Economics and Health Policy. This procedure showed a reduced dependency on antibiotics. A study revealed that a group of people suffering with chronic sinusitis took an average of 4.5 antibiotic courses for the 12 months leading up to the procedure. After the procedure was completed, they only took an average of 1.6 antibiotic courses per year.
Chronic sinusitis is responsible for over 4 million doctor visits and over 230,000 emergency room visits, according to the CDC.
"We have a great team at Michigan ENT & Allergy that can evaluate you to improve your health and wellness," Dr. Seth Palmer of Michigan ENT & Allergy Specialists told South Michigan News. "We have providers who are excellent in evaluating the sinuses with endoscopy, allergy testing and CT scans to come up with the best management for your chronic sinus issues. There are many things we can do to treat the sinuses, from using an appropriate nasal/allergy regimen to procedures that can be done in the office and surgical options. It would be our pleasure to see you and discuss how we can improve your sinus symptoms."
One misconception is that antibiotic resistance means that the body is resisting antibiotics when actually it means that bacteria have become resistant to the antibiotics that were created to destroy them, the CDC reported.
Michigan ENT can be reached at 616-422-4581 or at their website.
According Mayo Clinic, between one-third and one-half of antibiotic use in humans is unnecessary or inappropriate.
Chronic sinusitis can make it hard to enjoy everyday life. If you think a specialist could help, take this quiz.
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