Seasonal affective disorder is a type of depression that usually occurs during the late fall and winter and is associated with shorter hours of daylight. | Pexels/Lamar Belina
Seasonal affective disorder is a type of depression that usually occurs during the late fall and winter and is associated with shorter hours of daylight. | Pexels/Lamar Belina
- Approximately 10 million Americans suffer from seasonal depression, also known as seasonal affective disorder, each year.
- Chronic sinus problems can increase the likelihood of depression.
- Depression caused by chronic sinusitis can be treated by addressing the sinus problems.
"Every doctor will tell you that any chronic illness that is impacting someone adversely will affect their emotional state," Stewart told PHX Reporter. "I don't claim to be an expert in depression, but it's not a hard leap to imagine that if you're feeling crummy (for an extended period of time), that can have a toll on your overall mental health."
According to a report from Boston University, about 10 million Americans suffer from SAD, which can include symptoms such as sadness, sluggishness and weight changes. SAD most often occurs during the winter, when days are shorter and there is less sunlight during the day. In addition, SAD is more likely to affect women than men.
Treatments for SAD may include light therapy or medical treatments, such as antidepressants. According to Physician's Weekly, studies have found that people with chronic sinusitis could be more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety.
In one study, a group of 16,224 people were treated for chronic sinusitis, while a group of 32,448 "similar people" were studied who did not have sinus problems. The study found that over the the course of 11 years, the sinusitis sufferers were more than 50% more likely to develop depression or anxiety, according to Physician's Weekly.
As many as 25% of people who deal with chronic sinusitis also experience depression, as well as other sinus infection symptoms such as headaches, facial pain, a cough and nasal discharge, according to Houston Advanced Nose and Sinus. However, depression caused by sinusitis can be treated by addressing the sinus infection through medication or surgical practices such as balloon sinuplasty.
If you are interested in learning more about sinusitis and its symptoms, take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.
Alerts Sign-up