Is My Sinus Infection Immune To Antibiotics?

Patients who get recurring sinus infections have real concerns about using so many antibiotics. They are not only concerned about the side effects and the cost but also the risk that these important medicines will no longer be effective. It’s not actually the patient that becomes immune but the particular bacteria.

Viral infections should not be treated with antibiotics. We can help you determine if the infection is bacterial using painless nasal endoscopy in our office at the time of your visit.

• Antibiotic treatment should be based on an accurate culture of the infection if possible. Nasal endoscopy can be used to accurately and painlessly obtain a sinus culture in our office.
• Therapy should be long enough and strong enough to resolve the infection. Weak or short courses tend to create resistant bacteria.
• Confirmation that the infection has been resolved is also important. Frequently the patient will feel better but may still be carrying a low grade infection. A miniCT or repeat culture can be done in our office if there is doubt that the infection has resolved.
• Lastly, if the infections continue to recur quickly after treatment there must be an evaluation to see if there is an underlying chronic sinus infection with obstruction of the sinus outflow tracts. We offer non-surgical office procedures such as balloon sinuplasty performed under IV sedation to resolve the obstruction and make the antibiotic therapy successful.

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