NE Valley Times

• 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 are at an increased risk of experiencing anxiety and depression, according to Dr. Franklyn Gergits of the Sinus and Allergy Wellness Center of North Scottsdale.

Gergits told NE Valley Times that depression can be one issue that results from a patient suffering from chronic sinusitis over an extended period of time. According to Physician's Weekly, studies have found that people with chronic sinusitis can be more likely to fall into a depression or suffer from anxiety.

“The inflammation inside the sinus cavities can be so close to the brain, but the other thing you have to keep in mind is sleep,” he said. “We become sleep-deprived, even though we might spend six to eight hours in bed every night and think that we get a good night's sleep. In reality, if the nasal breathing is not enhanced and maximized, we might go into different states of hypoxia or oxygen deprivation.”

In Physician's Weekly, one study looked at 16,224 people treated for chronic sinusitis and compared them to a group of 32,448 similar people without sinus issues. It tracked them for 11 years, concluding that the people suffering from sinus issues were more than 50% more likely to suffer from depression or anxiety.

“This might have a negative impact in our bodies in multiple different areas, but especially in how we feel on a day-to-day basis,” Gergits said. “Depression is one of those symptoms that might occur when chronic inflammatory changes are taking place inside the sinuses and affecting our quality of sleep. Some patients are on multiple medical therapies for depression or anxiety. In reality, it might come from a medical condition affecting the nose and sinuses."

Mayo Clinic reported that symptoms can include a runny nose, postnasal drainage, nasal inflammation, congestion, pain or swelling in the face, headaches, loss of smell and taste, a sore throat, bad breath or fatigue.

There is a surgical option that can provide some relief for those suffering from chronic sinusitis: balloon sinuplasty. According to Eisemann Plastic Surgery Center, the procedure takes only about 10 to 15 minutes and most patients usually recover within a day or two. They can resume normal activities during that time, though they could experience minor swelling for up to a week.

To learn more about the symptoms of sinusitis and allergies, take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.