Montgomery News

• Research has found that inflammation, which comes with chronic sinusitis, can alter brain activity.

• This can cause symptoms such as difficulty concentrating and depression.

• In older patients, chronic sinusitis has been linked to dementia. 

A study conducted by University of Washington School of Medicine found that chronic sinusitis, which affects approximately 11% of American adults, causes inflammation that is linked to changes in brain activity. These changes can cause patients to experience depression and have difficulty concentrating.

Dr. Kristina Simonyan, a coauthor of the study, said examining brain scans of patients revealed that "subjective feelings of attention decline, difficulties (in 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. It is also possible that we might have detected the early markers of a cognitive decline where sinus inflammation acts as a predisposing trigger or predictive factor."

In addition to physical symptoms -- such as congestion, facial pain and headaches -- some studies have found a link between chronic sinusitis and neurodegeneration in older patients, according to the International Journal of Molecular Sciences. Researchers have found that the cognitive impairment caused by chronic sinusitis could perpetuate the onset of Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's is the leading cause of dementia, and it can cause progressive memory loss and personality changes.

Dr. Manish Khanna of Capitol Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers says that people who suffer from chronic sinusitis also frequently experience fatigue and depression. 

"When patients are experiencing any sinusitis, the pain aspect of things, and probably more so, the fatigue -- energy levels are just low. I think that's definitely the fuel to add to that depression cycle, where your energy levels are down," Khanna told Montgomery News. "You just don't feel like doing anything, and you just get into this malaise, because fatigue is a very common symptom of chronic and acute sinusitis. It definitely affects your energy levels, which certainly can be exacerbated in people who have depression if this is untreated."

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

For more information about chronic sinusitis symptoms, please take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.