Sinus specialists say there is an association between chronic sinusitis and erectile dysfunction. | PxHere.com
Sinus specialists say there is an association between chronic sinusitis and erectile dysfunction. | PxHere.com
• People who suffer from chronic sinusitis are at risk of developing erectile dysfunction.
• Medications such as Sudafed and other decongestants can also cause erectile dysfunction.
• New treatment options, such as balloon sinuplasty, are available for patients with chronic sinusitis.
Sinusitis can have a negative impact on people’s sex lives, according to Dr. Manish Khanna of Capitol Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers.
"Time and time again, on a daily basis, partners are being kicked out for noisy breathing,” Khanna told Montgomery News. “Whether it's snoring or just a lot of coughing and (congestion) and that’s from (lack of) drainage. Partners are getting removed from bedrooms because of that, so that certainly can affect your sex life."
According information from the National Institutes of Health, erectile dysfunction is described as a man’s inability to achieve and maintain an erection that can enable satisfactory sexual intercourse, affecting 5% of men in the U.S., according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information.
Yahoo Sports, citing a study from Kaohsiung University in Taiwan, reported that men suffering from chronic sinusitis are about 50% more likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction compared to men who do not suffer from sinusitis. According to the Kaohsiung study, sinusitis causes blood flow in the male genitals to be reduced.
According to WebMD, patients diagnosed with chronic sinusitis have several options for treatment, including balloon sinuplasty and endoscopy. Endoscopy is a procedure in which a physician inserts a flexible endoscope to allow the doctor to see inside the sinus cavity and find the blocked area. Doctors don’t have to make any incisions, which reduces recovery time. The procedure is done with local anesthesia, so the patient remains awake while blockages and polyps are removed with medical instruments.
During the balloon sinuplasty procedure, the physician inflates a balloon, which clears the obstruction, enabling the sinuses to drain properly and the patient's breathing to improve, according to WebMD.
If you're interested in learning more about diagnosis or treatment of chronic sinusitis, please take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.
Alerts Sign-up