Hoosier State Today

• As of last year, reports have shown that more than one-third of Americans live in areas with poor air quality.
• With the Canadian wildfires affecting the U.S. throughout the summer, it's likely that your breathing has been affected.
• If you suffer from asthma or other sinus issues, seeking treatment from a sinus specialist can help to reduce issues that could be triggered by bad air quality.

With the air quality in the U.S. on a decline, millions of Americans have had to deal with the health risks that come along with it. Dr. Nicholas Hollenkamp of Indianapolis Sinus Center says that when your nose is not working well, it can lead to lung problems like asthma and bronchitis.

"Your nose is a filter and a humidifier," Hollenkamp told Hoosier State Today. "When it doesn't work well, you can have all kinds of lung problems. Various lung problems really tie into this, such as asthma and allergic bronchitis. Whenever you have generalized inflammatory states, which chronic sinusitis is, that creates other problems like headaches and pains and pressures, but also things you would never expect, like stroke risk."

The American Lung Association’s “State of the Air'' 2023 report noted that 36% of Americans live in areas with unhealthy levels of ozone pollution. This equates to more than 119.6 million people. Another issue of concern is deadly particulate matter pollution, which consists of dust, ash, soot and metals. For this, the report showed 63.7 million people living in counties affected, which is the highest number ever reported.

It's no secret that wildfires have been an issue affecting multiple countries around the world lately, and a 2022 report by the UN Environment Programme stated that the number of extreme wildfire events could increase by up to 14% by 2030. It's expected to increase to 30% by 2050.

Most recently, Canada has had the worst wildfire season on record due to rising temperatures and dry conditions, according to National Public Radio. This has also affected many areas of the U.S., causing air quality to decline. This unfortunate wildfire season isn't expected to end anytime soon, as it normally lasts until October.

Although bad air quality conditions aren't good for anyone, they could be especially troublesome for people who struggle with asthma and other sinus issues, making these problems worse through nasal inflammation. According to the American Sinus Institute, nasal inflammation, or sinusitis, is described as swelling of the tissue that lines the sinuses. This blocks the nasal air passageways and causes mucus to increase, potentially causing an infection.

If you're prone to any of these issues, seeking treatment from a sinus specialist can help. To learn more about the symptoms of sinusitis and allergies, take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.