Doctors say studies have found a link between chronic sinus issues and increased risk for depression. | Pixabay
Doctors say studies have found a link between chronic sinus issues and increased risk for depression. | Pixabay
• Many people may not realize that chronic sinusitis can also affect their mental health.
• Studies have found that people who have chronic sinusitis are at an increased risk for depression and anxiety.
• Balloon sinuplasty is a quick, minimally invasive surgery that can treat chronic sinusitis.
People who suffer from chronic sinusitis could find that it has a negative effect on their mental health, according to Dr. Monty Trimble of Dallas Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers.
"Studies have shown that there's an increased correlation of major depressive disorders with chronic rhinosinusitis," Trimble told Dallas City Wire. "People just don't feel good when they suffer from this condition, and it makes sense that it tends to get people down over time. I think also the fact that people don't get it, doctors don't get it, friends don't get it, they don't understand, I think that also tends to push people down that pathway. Whether there's a genetic predisposition or other things that increase someone's risk that they're going to have that association, I don't know, but I'm not surprised by the association."
Studies have found that people with chronic sinusitis could also be more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety, Physician's Weekly reported. One study compared a group of 16,224 people who were treated for chronic sinusitis with a group of 32,448 "similar people" who did not have sinus problems. The study found that over the folllowing 11 years, the sinusitis sufferers were more than 50% more likely to develop depression or anxiety.
Physical symptoms of chronic sinusitis can include nasal inflammation, a runny nose, postnasal drainage, congestion, pain or swelling in the face, headaches, loss of smell and taste, a sore threat, bad breath or fatigue, according to Mayo Clinic.
One surgical treatment option for chronic sinusitis sufferers is balloon sinuplasty. A balloon sinuplasty procedure lasts 10 to 15 minutes, and patients typically recover within one to two days. Most patients can resume their normal activities in that time period, although they may experience some swelling for up to a week, according to Eisemann Plastic Surgery Center.
To learn more about the symptoms of allergies sinusitis, take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.
Alerts Sign-up