North Baltimore Journal

The symptoms of sinus infections can be debilitating and incapacitate even the most seasoned performers.

In May of 2016, Ariana Grande was scheduled to perform at the Rock in Rio concert in Portugal, but was forced to cancel following a sinus and throat infection, reported Yahoo! News. A devastated Grande took the time to apologize to her fans. 

"I'm deeply saddened to tell my babes in Portugal that I have to cancel my performance at Rock in Rio," Grande wrote on Instagram. "I've literally been crying over this for an hour. I have a throat and sinus infection, and my doctors have advised me not to sing for a few days."

Her health issues continued, and later in the year, she also had to cancel a concert in Lexington, Kentucky, according to Huffington Post.

Sinus experts at Frederick Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers are recommending that patients be aware of the potential seriousness of sinus infections and to seek treatment before the issue begins to affect quality of life.

"It certainly can be quite debilitating," Dr. Jamie Oberman of Frederick Breathe Free told North Baltimore Journal. "The studies show that it certainly contributes to a loss of vitality, productivity and quality of life. You don't have to live with it. There are solutions out there, many of which are very well-tolerated and minimally invasive and almost risk-free."

Sinus infections occur as a result of sinusitis. Sinusitis occurs when your sinuses — the hollow, tissue-lined cavities in your skull— are inflamed and fluid builds up, allowing bacteria or viruses to grow, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. If symptoms lasts for more than three months, it is considered to be chronic sinusitis.

Oberman recommends antibiotics for bacterial sinus infections, but he adds that bacteria can build resistance. 

"The more infections you have, the more antibiotics that are prescribed, the more bacterial resistance you have," Oberman said. "So we're to the point where the antibiotics no longer work. You're developing what's called bacterial resistance. Bacteria are smart microbes that are able to develop and adapt to what technology and medicine have developed, including antibiotics, and they develop means to become resistant to those antibiotics."

Nearly 37 million Americans suffer from at least one episode of acute nasal inflammation each year, according to the American Sinus Institute.

It's important for patients to determine the nature of their symptoms to choose the best course of action to relieve pain. If you think you might benefit from seeing a doctor, take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.