New research shows that chronic sinusitis may alter brain activity and cause patients to experience depression, difficulty focusing and other related symptoms.
“Sinusitis, by definition, is inflammation of the sinuses. This is important to note: As inflammation of the sinuses becomes chronic, it makes it more challenging for sinuses to function optimally," Diana Ruiloba, physician assistant at Arizona Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers, told Patient Daily. "Over time, chronic sinusitis can lead to a lack of functionality... . These persistent symptoms then begin to affect quality of life."
Patients with chronic sinusitis typically suffer from stuffy noses and headaches, but new research published in JAMA Otolaryngology -- Head & Neck Surgery states that sinus inflammation can also alter brain activity, affecting a patient's cognition, introspection and response to external stimuli, reported UW Medicine.
“This is the first study that links chronic sinus inflammation with a neurobiological change,” Dr. Aria Jafari, surgeon and assistant professor of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery at the University of Washington School of Medicine and lead author of the paper, said. "We know from previous studies that patients who have sinusitis often decide to seek medical care, not because they have a runny nose and sinus pressure, but because the disease is affecting how they interact with the world: They can't be productive, thinking is difficult, sleep is lousy. It broadly impacts their quality of life. Now we have a prospective mechanism for what we observe clinically.”
Despite the impact of sinus inflammation on brain activity, study group participants showed no significant change in behavioral and cognitive testing, study coauthor Dr. Kristina Simonyan said.
“The participants with moderate and severe sinus inflammation were young individuals who did not show clinically significant signs of cognitive impairment. However, their brain scans told us a different story: The subjective feelings of attention decline, difficulties (focusing) or sleep disturbances that a person with sinus inflammation experiences might be associated with subtle changes in how brain regions controlling these functions communicate with one another,” Simonyan said.
Sinusitis can be caused by viruses, bacteria, fungus and allergies. If symptoms lasts for more than three months, it is considered to be chronic sinusitis, according to Merck Manual. Symptoms can include yellow or green pus (thick fluid) from the nose, pressure and pain in the face, stuffy nose, bad breath, coughing up mucus (especially at night), fever and chills.
People are advised to see a doctor immediately if they suffer from these symptoms, along with a severe headache, because the infection could potentially spread to the brain and cause meningitis in rare cases.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 28.9 million American adults, or 11% of the adult population, suffer from the effects of chronic sinusitis. Treatment and surgery can address the issues, but symptoms also can recur. Chronic sinusitis was responsible for 4.1 million doctor visits and more than 230,000 emergency room visits in 2018.
