What To Do if Antibiotics Aren’t Working for Sinusitis

Boise ENT | ENT Doctor

According to CNN, many cases of sinusitis don’t respond well or at all to traditional antibiotics.

The reason for this is simple: often, sinusitis is viral rather than bacterial or fungal. Unfortunately, there is not yet any reliable medical test to distinguish which type of sinusitis you have.

In this post, learn what other options you have if antibiotics are not working to clear up your sinusitis.

Treating Sinusitis

Time reports that, in most cases, acute sinusitis tends to resolve on its own within 14 days – whether antiobiotics are taken or not.

Cases of sinusitis that do not resolve are likely chronic rather than acute. Time also reports that chronic sinusitis has been linked to underlying structural issues, including an undetected deviated septum, too-narrow sinus passages or excess sinus tissue.

The good news here is, a full 76 percent of patients that get treated with surgery for these types of structural issues state they are very pleased with the results. And a full 100 percent of surgical sinusitis patients state some relief from chronic sinusitis.

When Your Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Doctor Recommends Surgery

“You need surgery.” For most of us, this is not a reassuring statement to hear.

However, when you have been struggling with chronic sinusitis symptoms that don’t seem to be responding to anything you try, hearing “you need surgery” can actually be a relief!

If your ENT doctor, who is a specialist at complex issues related to the respiratory system, recommends surgery to reduce or eliminate chronic sinusitis, it is a recommendation worth taking seriously.

What Sinusitis Surgery Options Exist?

WebMD states that sinusitis surgery may be recommended for infected or swollen sinus tissue, to remove growths or polyps in the sinus cavities, to widen the sinus passages, to repair tissue damage or to enable sinuses to drain properly (deviated septum).

There are two main types of surgery: endoscopic and traditional. Endoscopic is generally preferable, if the sinus issue permits it, and can often be done on an outpatient basis. However, traditional surgery may be required for deeper or more complex issues.

Everyday Health states that, while recovery may take a few months, fully 90 percent of sinusitis surgeries are a great success.

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