Grand Canyon Times

• Many people may not realize that chronic sinusitis can affect their mental health.
• Studies have found that people who have chronic sinusitis are at an increased risk of depression and anxiety.
• Balloon sinuplasty is a quick, minimally invasive surgery that can treat chronic sinusitis.

Dr. Brian Lee of Scottsdale Sinus and Allergy Center says most people don't realize that chronic sinusitis can negatively impact a patient's overall quality of life in a variety of ways.

"I think most people who don't have issues with their nose or sinuses have no idea," Lee told the Grand Canyon Times. "For the unfortunate millions of people who are suffering with chronic sinus issues, all of these sinus issues trickle down into every facet of their life, because when you're not breathing through your nose, you're not sleeping well and you don't have the proper energy. You feel foggy all the time. Unfortunately, this happens slowly and chronically, and people accept this as the new norm. Luckily there are a lot of easy, simple things we can do to really improve their quality of life."

Studies show that people with chronic sinusitis could be more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety, according to Physician's Weekly. One study compared a group of 16,224 people who were treated for chronic sinusitis with a group of 32,448 people who didn't have sinus problems. The study found that over the next 11 years, sinusitis sufferers were more than 50% more likely to develop depression or anxiety.

Physical symptoms of chronic sinusitis can include 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 Mayo Clinic.

One surgical treatment option for chronic sinusitis sufferers is balloon sinuplasty, a minimally invasive procedure that takes only 10 to 15 minutes, and patients typically recover within one to two days, according to Eisemann Plastic Surgery Center. Most patients can resume their normal activities during that time, although they may experience some swelling for up to a week.

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