Grand Canyon Times

• Asthma is a common issue many sinusitis sufferers have to deal with.

• Allergies triggered by sinusitis lead to mouth breathing, which leads to airway disorders, such as asthma.

• Patients struggling with asthma caused by sinusitis are encouraged to seek minimally invasive treatment from a specialist for a better quality of life.

Sinusitis, in whatever form it may be, can lead to a plethora of different issues, including asthma. Dr. Brian Lee, of Scottsdale Sinus and Allergy Center, said the balloon sinuplasty, which can treat asthma caused by sinusitis, has been a huge advancement in the medical field.

"One of the biggest advances in our field has been the advent of something called balloon sinuplasty," Lee said. "Essentially what that is, it's a tool that we can use to help to permanently open up the sinuses and that allows the sinuses to drain and allows us to get up in there; and see if there is a chronic infection or mucus, and get that stuff out. This finally allows us to permanently enlarge the drainage pathways to allow patients to function better in the future."

Many people with asthma also suffer from allergies, and allergy triggers can set off asthma symptoms, according to Mayo Clinic. The immune system's response to fighting off allergens involves releasing chemicals that can lead to a runny nose, congestion or skin reactions, and those responses can affect the airways, triggering asthma symptoms. 

Allergy treatments such as immunotherapy can reduce your body's reaction to allergens over time, which will in turn decrease asthma symptoms, according to Mayo Clinic.

People who suffer from allergies or chronic sinus problems are more likely to breathe through their mouths, but mouth breathing can lead to oral health issues, according to McCarl Dental Group. Mouth breathing dries up saliva, which then allows bacteria and plaque to build up on the teeth, which can cause cavities, gum disease and chronic bad breath. 

Regularly breathing through the mouth can also, over time, lead to strained jaw joints, snoring, sleep apnea, enlarged tonsils and a higher risk for airway disorders, such as asthma, McCarl Dental Group reported.

For sinusitis patients who struggle with asthma, there's minimally invasive treatment options that can provide long lasting results. One of these treatment options is the balloon sinuplasty, which is a safe and minimally invasive procedure utilized by surgeons to address chronic sinusitis, according to Nuffield Health. During the process, doctors insert a guide wire equipped with a small balloon into the nostrils and navigate it to the area of blockage.