East Central Texas News

Pop singer Ariana Grande has suffered bouts of sinus infections, like many Americans.

Grande had to cancel a concert in May 2016 at Portugal’s music festival, Rock in Rio, due to infections in her throat and sinuses.

"I'm deeply saddened to tell my babes in Portugal that I have to cancel my performance at Rock in Rio," she 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. I promise to make it up to you and give you the best show I'm capable of when I return. Again, I'm so sorry to the babes who were coming to see me. I love you with all my heart."

Grande also had to cancel a performance in Lexington, Kentucky, in 2019 because the Grammy award-winning singer was suffering from ongoing issues with her throat and sinuses.

“I don’t know how it’s possible, but my throat and head are still in so much pain,” she wrote on Instagram. “I sound okay, I’m just in a lot of pain and it’s difficult to breathe during the show. I am seeing my doctor and trying my (very) best to get better for tomorrow’s show. The last thing I would ever want to do is cancel a show at this point with so few left.”

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

Sinusitis is an inflammation, or swelling, of the tissue that lines the sinuses. The inflammation blocks the air passageways, causing mucus to increase. Sinus infections should be treated immediately with over-the-counter products or by a medical professional.

However, Dr. Monty Trimble of the Dallas Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers suggests reliance on antibiotics should be limited.

“Most people will find that antibiotics, other than maybe being temporarily helpful -- sometimes it's questionable about whether or not they're helpful at all,” Trimble told East Central Texas News. “But one thing I do remind people is that we've built our treatment paradigms based on antibiotics, so it's hard to get away from that. So what I tell people is, ‘Look, if you're having to take antibiotics on a fairly regular basis because of your sinuses, it would make sense that it would be much better for you long-term to find a different solution.'"

Antibiotics are often the first thing doctors recommend for a sinus infection. But doctors at Dallas Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Center help patients explore alternative treatments. 

One option offered at Dallas Breathe Free is balloon sinuplasty. This procedure, also called balloon catheter dilation surgery, is a minimally invasive surgery that can be done right in the doctor's office, not at a hospital. Recovery time is short and risk is relatively low. Balloon sinuplasty is often recommended for people suffering from chronic sinus infections.

If you're interested in evaluating your symptoms and are considering seeing a doctor, take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.