Columbus Standard

Medical research has found that a person's sinuses can become aggravated after St. Patrick's Day.

The three factors are acid reflux due to the food, nasal symptoms generated by alcohol and also an increase in the intensity of seasonal allergies. Last year, a link was established between acid reflux problems and sinus issues. These symptoms can cause nasal obstructions. 

“You get a nasal obstruction, you start affecting sleep, you start causing snoring and sleep apnea, which we know has nefarious consequences in regards to cardiovascular health, and libido, and mood and all these things," Dr. Michael Foster of the Michigan Sinus Center said. "And then the sinus issues with generalized inflammation within the body, whether it's allergies, you have GI issues, you have migraines, you have mood issues."

These issues can eventually develop into chronic sinus problems.

“With chronic sinus problems, infections come from destruction of the sinus openings that come from generalized inflammation of the nasal mucosa," Foster said. "The best is to determine whether or not that inflammation is bacterial, viral or allergic with a good EMG exam and history and testing and then address the problem, whether it's allergy therapy, or it's sinus procedures or it's sinus resonance or all the above together. Every patient is different and you got to address the problem at the source and not just keep throwing a bandaid on it.”

Foster also discussed other allergies and sinus conditions. 

“Typically, people with chronic rhinosinusitis have an aspect of allergic rhinitis on top of it. So those patients that are allergic will have pretty significant Eustachian tube dysfunction as well,” Foster said. 

Dr. Anthony D. Sanders discussed ways in which these issues could be treated. 

"We strive to be a one-stop shop for sinus and nasal problems, so you can get your diagnostic testing all done in our office," Sanders said. "We have an office CT scan, which can be done in about 20 seconds, and it has about roughly one tenth of the radiation dose of a standard CT at a hospital or a radiology center. Plus, it tends to be much less expensive, too. We also offer in-office allergy testing. We do endoscopic examinations in the office. So generally, all the diagnostic testing you need for chronic sinusitis can be done in our office."