Hoosier State Today

As Mental Health Awareness Month kicks off, doctors at Indianapolis Sinus Center are raising awareness of the links between people who suffer from chronic sinusitis and those who suffer from depression.

According to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, major depression affects 7.1% of the U.S. population. Symptoms of depression can include the inability to take pleasure in former interests, social withdrawal, irritability and loss of appetite.

In a review of 320 patients with sinus symptoms, it was noted that depressed chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) patients reported significantly worse pain -- including pain in the bridge of nose, headache and low energy level -- than those without depression comorbidity, according to the American Journal of Rhinology.

"People with significant chronic sinusitis, they have higher risk of depression and anxiety." Dr. Nicholas Hollenkamp of the Indianapolis Sinus Center told Hoosier State Today.

Using the Beck Depression Inventory, a self-reporting questionnaire that measures depressive symptoms, scientists concluded that more depression was found in participants with chronic rhinosinusitis without nasal polyps, according to the American Journal of Rhinology & Allergy.

In a larger cohort study with an 11-year followup, findings show that chronic rhinosinusitis sufferers are at an increased risk for depression and that depression and anxiety appeared to occur more frequently in patients without nasal polyps, compared to those with nasal polyps, published in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) occurs in 1 to 5% of the population and includes symptoms like sinus pressure, headache and postnasal drip. In an article from the journal Medicine, it is noted that depression may develop from failed attempts at medical management or the treatment itself.

Balloon sinuplasty is an FDA-approved endoscopic medical procedure for those who have CRS, according to Healthline. Approved in 2005, the procedure is simple and minimally invasive. A otolaryngologist inserts a tiny balloon into the nose and then expands it to open the sinuses.

In a prospective cohort study from the Journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology, improved measurements in quality of life were reported after endoscopic sinus surgery.

If you are struggling with chronic sinusitis with depression and want to learn more about treatment options, take our Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.