COLUMBUS, Ohio – Sinus
infection sufferers may see a change during their doctors’ appointments this
cold and allergy season as new national guidelines urge doctors to do less
prescribing and more educating.
As many as 45 million people
in the U.S. suffer from chronic sinus infections each year. After decades of
overprescribing antibiotics, at a cost of billions of dollars, physicians are
being asked to reconsider their treatment approach. According to the Infectious
Diseases Society of America, the reasoning is simple. Up to 90 percent of all
sinus infections are caused by a virus, which antibiotics can’t treat and can
actually make worse by killing healthy bacteria and strengthening the immunity
of dangerous bacteria found in the sinus cavity.
“For patients who suffer
from viral sinus infections, home remedies and over-the-counter medicines like
ibuprofen, decongestants or nasal rinses can be enough to manage their
symptoms,” said Dr. Subinoy Das, director
of the Sinus and Allergy Center at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. “We’re finding that for the vast majority of sinus
infection sufferers, the standard treatment approach of prescribing antibiotics
is rarely helpful.”
Das, also an assistant
professor of otolaryngology, and colleagues at Wexner Medical Center are
currently working to develop a test that may help eliminate overprescribing of
antibiotics and reserve potent treatments for the more serious bacterial cases —
saving time and money. If successful, the test will involve a simple nasal swab
and results will identify exactly what type of sinus infection is present.
“After decades of
overprescribing antibiotics, we have reached a point where we are starting to
see super-bacteria, or bacteria that are becoming more and more resistant to
modern-day treatments,” said Das. “Not only will this test minimize the use of
unnecessary antibiotics, it will also provide physicians with a new tool to
determine the exact infection present, making it possible for us to tailor
treatment if bacteria is present, in turn giving patients much more effective
therapy.”
While a vast majority of
viral infections resolve on their own, about 10 to 15 percent of sinus
infections are bacterial and require further therapy. Signs of a serious
bacterial infection include chronic sinus infections that occur more than once
a year or cause severe fever, facial swelling or impaired vision. In some
cases, patients may develop chronic sinus infections due to blockages in the
sinus cavities. In those cases, surgery can offer relief.
“For patients who qualify,
surgery can be very effective in addressing blockages, leading to improved
airflow and drainage,” said Das. “Thankfully, the recovery process is fairly
simple; since the surgery takes place through the nostrils there’s typically no
bruising or swelling, and many people return to work in a few days.”
Sinus infections affect one
in seven Americans each year and are the number one chronic illness among 18-to-45-year-olds.
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For a high quality photo of
Dr. Subinoy Das, go to: http://go.osu.edu/N59
Contact:
David Crawford, Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center Public Affairs and Media
Relations, 614-293-3737, or
David.Crawford@osumc.edu.
