NE Valley Times

Mental Health Awareness Month is in full swing, and doctors at the Scottsdale Sinus and Allergy Center are raising awareness of the fact that there is scientific evidence linking chronic sinusitis with symptoms of depression.

According to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, major depression affects 7.1% of the U.S. population. Symptoms of depression can include the inability to take pleasure in former interests, social withdrawal, irritability and loss of appetite.

In a review of 320 patients with sinus symptoms, it was noted that depressed chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) patients reported significantly worse pain -- including pain in the bridge of the nose, headache and low energy level -- than those without depression comorbidity, according to the American Journal of Rhinology.

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) occurs in 1 to 5% of the population and includes symptoms like sinus pressure, headache and postnasal drip. Depression may develop from failed attempts at medical management or the treatment itself.

"It's very sad because those patients are absolutely miserable," Dr. Brian Lee at Scottsdale Sinus and Allergy Center told NE Valley Times. "A lot of people essentially have come to the realization that this is just the way it is, and they accept it. They don't know how miserable they are, until it's cleared up and we get them back to their normal health."

Using the Beck Depression Inventory, a self-reporting questionnaire that measures depressive symptoms, scientists concluded that higher depression was found in participants with chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyps, according to the American Journal of Rhinology & Allergy.

In a larger cohort study with an impressive 11-year follow up, findings show that chronic rhinosinusitis sufferers are at a greater increased risk for depression and that depression and anxiety appeared to occur more frequently in patients without nasal polyps, compared to those with nasal polyps, according to JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) occurs in 1 to 5% of the population and includes symptoms like sinus pressure, headache and postnasal drip. In an article from the journal Medicine, it is noted that depression may develop from failed attempts at medical management or the treatment itself.

Balloon sinuplasty is an FDA-approved endoscopic medical procedure for patients who have CRS, according to Healthline. Approved in 2005, the procedure is simple and minimally invasive. A otolaryngologist inserts a tiny balloon into the nasal cavity and then expands it to open the sinuses, allowing the patient to breathe better.

In a prospective cohort study from the Journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology, improved measurements in quality of life were reported after endoscopic sinus surgery.

If you are struggling with chronic sinusitis with depression and want to learn more about treatment options, take our Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.