Mental Health Awareness Month highlights correlation between depression and sinusitis

Health Care
Depression sinus pain
Major depression affects 7.1% of the U.S. population. | Canva

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During Mental Health Awareness Month, a correlation is being brought to light between depression and the condition known as sinusitis.

Ear, nose and throat specialists are talking about the fact that a large portion of their patients suffer from depressive symptoms, and the link between these symptoms is chronic sinusitis. 

"We know also with chronic sinusitis that there is some association with mental health, including anxiety and depression," Dr. John Ditto of Richmond Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers told Virginia Business Daily.

Depression affects 7.1% of the U.S. population, and symptoms can be severe, including things like an inability to enjoy former interests, social withdrawal, irritation and loss of appetite, according to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance.

Meanwhile, a review of patients with sinus symptoms uncovered that patients reported significant pain in the bridge of their nose, headaches and energy levels far below what is normal. 

The correlation between the two was discovered using the Beck Depression Inventory, a questionnaire that measures symptoms associated with depression. Scientists were able to determine, through the survey results, that higher rates of depression were found in patients also suffering from chronic rhinosinusitis, according to the American Journal of Rhinology & Allergy.

A larger study published in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery also found that those who suffer from chronic rhinosinusitis were at a greater risk for depression and anxiety. This study had an 11-year followup with hundreds of data points. 

About 1 to 5% of the general population currently suffers from chronic rhinosinusitis. The symptoms can include things like sinus pressure, headaches and postnasal drip. Some studies suggest that depression can arise out of failed treatment for the sinus condition, according to the journal Medicine.

One of the most effective treatments for chronic rhinosinusitis is a balloon sinuplasty, which is an FDA-approved endoscopic medical procedure. Balloon sinuplasty is a procedure in which a doctor inflates a balloon inside the patient's nasal cavity and then deflates it, opening the sinuses and allowing the patient to breathe better. Simple and minimally invasive, the procedure has become very popular at sinus and allergy centers around the country.

If you are struggling with chronic sinusitis with depression and want to learn more about treatment options, take our Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.

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