NE Dallas News

• Sinusitis sufferers could be at risk for heart disease if they don't seek treatment.
• Multiple studies have shown that acute sinusitis and chronic sinusitis can potentially lead to stroke.
• A balloon sinuplasty is a minimally invasive procedure that can help sinus sufferers and reduce their risk for heart disease and stroke.

Many sinusitis sufferers are unaware of the correlation between chronic sinusitis and inflammation, but Dr. Monty Trimble of Dallas Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers told NE Dallas News that this correlation can put patients at a higher risk of problems to their cardiovascular health.

According to Next Avenue, sinusitis can often lead to the inflammation of the sinus cavities, and if it is left untreated, it can increase the risk for heart disease, stroke, neurological disease, diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis. The website also suggested that patients should seek treatment if they exhibit symptoms of sinusitis.  

"When patients don't breathe well, we know that has a negative impact on their cardiovascular health, so your heart has a negative impact on your lungs, has a negative impact on the ability of your brain to heal itself at night,” Trimble said. “So all of these things compounded over time affect the quality of your life and the longevity in an adverse way. After all these years of practice, I really wish, as a health care provider, that we would begin to recognize that the nose really is much more important than we ever thought. I think part of it probably stems from the fact that if a patient goes to a doctor and doesn't complain about their nose, then the doctor assumes that the nose is okay."

PLOS One cited data from a national cohort study, which found that chronic sinusitis boosts the chances of a stroke, and demographics don’t factor into the increased rates. The American Journal of Rhinology & Allergy cited a study that found both acute and chronic sinusitis proved to be a risk factor for stroke and stood apart from the usual risk factors for stroke. 

For patients suffering with chronic sinusitis, there is a relatively new treatment available, according to Healthline. Balloon sinuplasty is being recommended for patients who are suffering from chronic sinusitis, after other treatments have failed. It is a simple procedure with minimal risks for complications. The balloon sinuplasty procedure does not require cutting  or removal of any bones or tissue, making it minimally invasive and carrying little risk and a short recovery time.

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