Williamsburg Sun

• Studies have shown that men who struggle with sinus issues are 50% more likely to be impotent.
• Cold and sinus medications can cause urinary retention in men and even erectile dysfunction.
• Seeking treatment from a sinus specialist can help to resolve sinusitis and other side effects.

The correlations between sinusitis and other health issues can be surprising. Dr. John Ditto of Richmond Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers says there have been studies that show an association between chronic sinusitis and erectile dysfunction.

"There's been some association with -- and it's kind of interesting that sinusitis would cause this issue -- but there has been a study that looked at erectile dysfunction and sinusitis," Ditto told Williamsburg Sun. "We know that if you have obstructive sleep apnea, and that causes nasal obstruction, that is combined together to cause obstructive sleep apnea. So if your nose is obstructed because of chronic sinusitis, and you have sleep apnea, you can't you just sleep without a machine, then your sleep apnea is going to cause problems with male sexual function. And so there's a correlation."

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. According to the report, treating sinusitis surgically significantly decreased erectile dysfunction in patients.

Yahoo! Sports reported that men who suffer from chronic sinusitis are as much as 50% more likely to be impotent compared to men who do not suffer from sinusitis, citing a report from Kaohsiung University in Taiwan. The study found that when sinusitis inflames the lining of the sinuses, it causes the blood vessels in men's genitals to restrict blood flow.

While some people might turn to medication to try to alleviate their sinus symptoms, products such as Sudafed or other cold medications can also cause erectile dysfunction, according to Men's Journal.

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

Doctors won’t cut into the skin, so recovery is relatively fast and easy. Endoscopy is usually done with a local anesthetic, meaning the area will be made numb and the patient remains awake.

Another newer treatment is balloon sinuplasty, which is a good option for patients who don't need anything removed from the sinuses. The doctor puts a narrow tube into the nose with a small balloon attached to one end. The doctor then guides the balloon to the blocked area inside the nose and inflates it. The balloon helps clear the passageway so the sinuses can drain properly, alleviating congestion.

To see if you might benefit from chronic sinusitis treatments, please take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.