• People who suffer from chronic sinusitis are at risk of developing erectile dysfunction.
• Medications such as Sudafed and other decongestants can also cause erectile dysfunction.
• New treatment options, such as balloon sinuplasty, are available for patients with chronic sinusitis.

Dr. Monty Trimble of Dallas Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers wants men who suffer from chronic sinus issues to know they may be at risk of developing erectile dysfunction. 

"I did recently have a patient and his wife, who noted that, after his sinus procedure, that aspect had significantly improved," Trimble told Lone Star Standard. "So obviously there is a relationship, and in the past I've seen a fairly large number of men who have been seen at one of the testosterone clinics. Typically men will go to these clinics because they're more fatigued, they could go to the gym and take longer to recover and, obviously, the sex life is not as good. But sometimes after replacement therapy, they realize some of these things haven't improved as much as they would like. And lo and behold, they've got chronic sinusitis and they're not breathing as well through their nose. As a result, they're not getting quality sleep, and we know that when you're not getting quality sleep, it can certainly affect all of these things, plus it can affect hormone levels as well, which may be part of the main issue that's going on there."

Yahoo! Sports reported that men suffering from the condition are as much as 50% more likely to be impotent, compared to men who don’t have sinusitis. The study from Kaohsiung University in Taiwan found that when sinusitis inflames the lining of the sinuses, it causes the blood vessels in men's genitals to restrict blood flow.

Erectile dysfunction, which the National Institutes of Health defines as "the inability to attain and maintain an erection of sufficient quality to permit satisfactory sexual intercourse,” affects approximately 5% of men in the U.S., according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information. A study using data from more than 1 million people from Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database found that chronic sinusitis is associated with increased risk of erectile dysfunction. The occurrence of erectile dysfunction in patients significantly decreased with functional endoscopic sinus surgery.

While some people might turn to cold medications such as Sudafed to try to alleviate their sinus symptoms, Men’s Journal states that decongestants can also cause erectile dysfunction.

People who suffer from chronic sinusitis have several surgical treatment options, including endoscopy and balloon sinuplasty, according to WebMD. Endoscopy is a common procedure, during which a doctor inserts a thin, flexible instrument called an endoscope into the nose. One instrument features a small camera lens that sends images back to a screen, enabling the doctor to see where the sinuses are blocked and help gently remove polyps, scar tissue and other blockages.

The procedure offers a fast and easy recovery process, as it doesn’t involve cutting into the skin and allows for the patient to remain awake, given that the doctors use only a local anesthetic to numb the area.

Sinusitis patients can also choose a newer treatment known as balloon sinuplasty, which is a good option for those who don’t need anything removed from the sinuses. Balloon sinuplasty involves the dilation of the sinus passageway to restore drainage and alleviate congestion, allowing the patient to breathe more clearly.

If you're interested in learning more about sinusitis or various treatment options, please take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.