Grand Canyon Times

Smoking has long been linked to various diseases, and it seems that few long-term smokers can avoid all of the associated health complications, such as chronic sinus problems.

Ear, nose and throat specialists refer to former presidents John F. Kennedy and Franklin Delano Roosevelt as examples of notable people who had sinusitis that was attributed at least partly to smoking.

The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum houses an interview done by a doctor showing that Kennedy, a smoker, often had acute sinusitis that required a course of antibiotics. 

Roosevelt’s presidential physician, Ross McIntire, said that one of his health concerns was sinus problems, according to the University of Arizona Health Sciences Library. Roosevelt was a heavy smoker, The New York Times says. The Roosevelt Presidential Library records indicate that sinus conditions “plagued him greatly,” and he received treatment almost nightly. 

Knowledge of the effect of cigarette smoke on chronic rhinosinusitis is not new, and doctors have long tried to talk people into dropping the habit, but the addictive nature of smoking makes it a challenge.       

Inhaling cigarette smoke can lead to inflammation in both the nasal passages and the ear canal.

Kennedy and Roosevelt might not have suffered so much if modern treatments, like balloon sinuplasty, had been around in their time. Balloon sinuplasty is a minimally invasive procedure that is said to be safe and effective in providing long-term relief from chronic sinusitis, according to the American Journal of Otolaryngology.

Those who suffer from recurring sinusitis, whether or not they smoke, can take a Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz to evaluate their symptoms and find out if they could benefit from seeing a doctor.