North Panhandle News

• Chronic sinusitis affects 28.9 million American adults, or 11% of the adult population. 
• Chronic sinusitis can decrease one’s quality of life, leading to mental health issues like depression and anxiety. 
• Symptoms of sinusitis that could lead to a higher rate of depression include loss of taste and smell, difficulty sleeping, facial pain, and fatigue.

Chronic sinusitis has a multitude of symptoms that can affect one’s life, including an increased risk of depression. According to Dr. Matthew Blair of Gulf Coast Breathe Free, sinusitis can affect one in many different ways.

"Nasal obstruction, chronic sinusitis, or chronic allergies really affect one's quality of life. If you have a poor outlook on life because you're always suffering from allergies or sinus issues, it's going to affect the rest of your general health," Dr. Blair told the North Panhandle News. "So if you can get your breathing and your nose in tip-top shape, you're going to feel better, you'll want to do more things and you're going to overall improve your quality of health."

Studies have found that people with chronic sinusitis could also be more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety, according to Physician's Weekly. One study compared a group of 16,224 individuals 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 next 11 years, the sinusitis sufferers were more than 50% more likely to develop depression or anxiety.

A report from Houston Advanced Nose and Sinus found that as many as 25% of people with chronic sinusitis also experience depression, along with more familiar sinus infection symptoms such as headaches, facial pain, a cough, and nasal discharge. Depression that is caused by chronic sinusitis can be treated by addressing the sinus infection through medication or a surgical procedure like balloon sinuplasty.

A study published by the National Library of Medicine found that people who suffer from chronic sinusitis are more likely to experience poor-quality sleep. While 8-18% of the general population suffers from sleep disruption, the study found that 60-75% of people with chronic sinusitis experience sleep disruption. The study found that chronic sinusitis patients who experience sleep disruption are also more likely to experience depression, a decreased quality of life, difficulty concentrating, fatigue throughout the day, and decreased memory and productivity.

People who lose the ability to smell and taste frequently experience decreased appetite and poor nutrition and may be more likely to experience depression, according to Mayo Clinic. Some might use excess salt or sugar on food to try to make its taste stronger, which can make problems with diabetes or high blood sugar worse. Fortunately, if the loss of taste and smell is due to a sinus infection or other nasal issue, treating the infection will restore the senses of taste and smell.

Dr. Matthew Blair earned his Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and Immunology with a minor in chemistry from the University of Miami, according to Gulf Coast Breathe Free's website. He subsequently obtained his medical degree from Nova Southeastern University in 2010 then pursued further education, completing his internship and residency at McLaren Oakland Hospital in Michigan, with a specific focus on otolaryngology and facial plastic surgery. Dr. Blair achieved board certification in 2015.