Pensacola Times

• Studies have shown that sinusitis sufferers are 50% more likely to struggle with depression.
• Sinusitis can put a damper on your quality of life when you are struggling daily.
• Seeking treatment from a specialist can improve your life.

Dr. Matthew Blair of Gulf Coast Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers says that struggling with sinusitis can affect a person's mental health. That's why it's important to seek treatment from a specialist to improve your quality of life, physically and mentally.

"Nasal obstruction, chronic sinusitis or chronic allergies really affect one's quality of life," Blair told the Pensacola Times. "If you have a poor outlook on life, because you're always suffering from allergies or sinusitis, it's going to affect the rest of your general health. So if you can get your breathing corrected, you can get your nose in tiptop shape, you're going to feel better and want to do more things, and you're going to overall improve your quality of health."

According to Physician's Weekly, studies have found that people with chronic sinusitis could also be more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety. One study compared a group of 16,224 people who were treated for chronic sinusitis to a group of 32,448 similar people with no sinus problems. The study found that over an 11-year time span, the sinusitis sufferers were more than 50% more likely to develop depression or anxiety.

Sinusitis can lead to a loss of cognitive ability, and people who lose their sense of smell and taste also suffer from a loss of appetite, poor nutrition and may be more likely to experience depression, according to Mayo Clinic. Some people might use excess salt or sugar on food to try to add flavor, which can lead to problems with diabetes or high blood sugar. Fortunately, if the loss of taste and smell is due to a sinus infection or other nasal issue, treating the infection will restore the senses.

Gulf Coast Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers offers minimally invasive treatment options, such as a balloon sinusplasty. The balloon procedure is completed in-office and only lasts about an hour. The preparation takes about 30 minutes and involves anesthetics being applied to the nose for comfort.

A narrow instrument with a balloon is inserted into the sinus cavity, then gently inflated. Once the sinuses are opened, the balloon is removed. The procedure's recovery time is relatively short, and many patients can return to work or school the next day.

To learn more about the symptoms of sinusitis and allergies, take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.