Anxiety and sinusitis are emerging health concerns in the United States. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults (19.1% of the population) age 18 and older every year. On the other hand, the sinus accounts for around 37 million Americans every year.
Connection Between Anxiety and Sinus
Anxiety and sinus are different health disorders whereas anxiety is related to mental health and sinus is related to physical issues in nasal cavities. Therefore, there is no direct link between anxiety and sinus. Also, there is no research and studies that prove the direct connection between these two.
It may seem that people, who suffer from both can develop symptoms of both at the same time which makes them think that anxiety could be triggering the sinus. However, we can find some indirect connections between the two wherein both have some common symptoms. First, let’s find out the meaning and symptoms of both to understand this more clearly.
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is a mental disorder in which certain symptoms of uneasiness and nervousness emerge without or without any specific reasons or triggers.
Symptoms may include:
- Shortness of breath
- Excessive nervousness
- Heaviness in the chest area
- Increased heartbeats
- Dizziness
- Trembling
- Headaches
What is Sinus?
A sinus is a blockage of air cavities called sinusitis in the nasal area due to swelling and inflammation. This blockage causes swelling in the nose area and face creating difficulty in breathing. The common cold could be a direct trigger for sinus.
Generally, the sinus will settle down within a couple of days through medication and home remedies. However, a period of more than twelve weeks is to be considered a chronic sinus which requires proper treatment of the issues.
Some symptoms of sinus are:
- Release of thick yellowish or greenish mucus from the nose
- Difficulty in breathing due to swelling and blockage of air cavities
- Swelling in the nose area and other parts of the face
- Pain in the face and headaches
- Puffy eyes
- Teeth aches
- Fever
Anxiety and sinus are not directly related to each other, but both share some common symptoms like difficulty in breathing and headaches which could be a trigger in some cases. And these symptoms make the situation worse for the bearer.
The only way to get relief is through a proper treatment of sinusitis. This can be treated through some medications, exercises, and home remedies.
Medication for Sinusitis
- Antibiotics: Antibiotics are given to fight infections in the body and nasal part. Generally, antibiotics are given for a 3 to 5 days course.
- Anti-Allergy Medicines: Anti-allergy medicines are given to fight the symptoms caused by allergies. Anti-allergy medicine like cetirizine is famous for treating this.
- Pain Medicines: Pain medicines like ibuprofen are given to reduce the pain.
- Decongestants: These come in the form of liquids, tablets, and nasal sprays. Use nasal decongestants for only a few days because they may cause worse stuffiness, known as rebound congestion.
- Nasal corticosteroids. These nasal sprays help prevent and treat swelling. Examples include fluticasone (Flonase Allergy Relief, Flonase Sensimist Allergy Relief). These are fast-relieving sprays with immediate action.
Exercises
Exercise is the natural method to cure sinusitis. These are facial exercises performed by massage in some specific area of the face. These exercises help in opening air cavities in the nasal area to ease out symptoms naturally.
Massage the area near your nose in a downward direction to open the blocked cavities. (Picture A)
Massage the area under the eye in a downward direction. (Picture B)
Gently massage the area below eye-brows in outwards directions.(Picture C )
Some Home-Remedies
- Drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated may help in managing your symptoms.
- Drinking hot beverages is also helpful in opening air cavities
- Taking steam is an excellent method to open blocked cavities
- Honey could be an easy way to fight sinus caused by infection
- Use a humidifier or vaporizer to keep the air moist
Conclusion
Anxiety and sinusitis are different health disorders. Anxiety is a mental disorder, while sinusitis is associated with blockage of air cavities in the nasal region. So, there is no direct link between them. However, some symptoms of anxiety like difficulty breathing and headaches could trigger sinusitis also, but there is a lack of research to this conclusion.