South Indy News

• Symptoms of chronic sinusitis include congestion, pain or swelling in the face, headaches, and a loss of smell and taste.
• People with chronic sinusitis or rhinosinusitis are more likely to also suffer depression and anxiety.
• balloon sinuplasty procedures have a low risk and quicker recovery time than traditional sinus surgery.

Suffering from chronic sinusitis can bring with it some unexpected mental health issues, Dr. Anthony D. Sanders of the Indianapolis Sinus Center, located on on East County Line Road in Greenwood, told South Indy News.

Physicians have known for a while that people with chronic sinusitis or rhinosinusitis are more likely to also suffer depression and anxiety.

"There have been studies that have shown people with chronic sinusitis are much more prone to depression than the general population without rhinosinusitis," Sanders said. "This may be just the fact that it's such a quality-of-life issue."

Dr. Anthony D. Sanders | indianapolissinuscenter.com

Sinus conditions make people miserable and that misery can lead to other issues.

"People have a lot of symptoms which tend to compromise their ability to concentrate, to sleep well," Sanders said. "They have less energy and quite a bit of fatigue associated with it oftentimes. And those types of symptoms, I think, just lead to poor general health and well-being and function."

The link between sinus conditions and mental health issues is not new. Physician's Weekly reported in 2019 that people with chronic sinusitis are at higher risk of depression and anxiety. A study in Korea compared a group of 16,224 individuals treated for chronic sinusitis with a group of 32,448 "similar people" who did not suffer sinus problems over 11 years. The study found the sinusitis sufferers were more than 50% more likely to develop depression or anxiety.

Chronic sinusitis affects 28.9 million American adults, or 11% of the adult population, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Chronic sinusitis causes 4.1 million doctor visits and more than 230,000 emergency room visits each year.

Chronic sinusitis sufferers might experience nasal inflammation, a runny nose, postnasal drainage, congestion, pain or swelling in the face, headaches, loss of smell and taste, a sore throat, bad breath or fatigue, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Balloon sinuplasty, also known as balloon catheter dilation surgery, is a procedure used to clear blocked sinuses that is relatively new, approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2005. It's also commonly referred to as the "smart sinus" procedure, according to Healthline. After a balloon sinuplasty, many people are able to return to their regular activities within a day or two and some even drive themselves home from the procedure.

It's no wonder that balloon sinuplasty is becoming more and more popular. The procedure has a low risk and quicker recovery time than traditional sinus surgery, according to GoodRX. The procedure also does not require the removal of any bones or facial tissue, which means most patients experience less pain and swelling and a lower risk of infection.

Anyone who would like to assess their sinus condition and receive treatment suggestions may take Indianapolis Sinus Center's online quiz.