Could Sinusitis Be Causing Your Snoring 

What is sinusitis? The sinuses are air-filled cavities in the skull located behind the nose, eyes, cheeks and forehead. The sinus cavities are lined with a mucous secreting membrane and they are connected to the space behind the nose, the nasal cavity, by a series of narrow channels. While the actual function of the sinuses is unknown, scientists have theorized that they have a part in humidifying the air we breathe, reducing the weight of our skulls, giving our voices unique characteristics, and even to absorb some of the impact during facial trauma.

Inflammation of the sinuses, or sinusitis, can be either acute (lasting four weeks or less), subacute (four to eight weeks), chronic (may last up to eight weeks, but sometimes lasts as long as months or years), and recurrent (several acute attacks within a year’s time).

Children under five years old are rarely affected by sinusitis as their sinuses are not fully developed. Snoring in young children is almost always caused by enlarged tonsils and adenoids. (See Children and Snoring for more information.)

Because sinusitis causes inflammation of the nasal cavity and airways, sinusitis often causes snoring.

What causes sinusitis? Viral infection, often simply the common cold, is the most common cause of sinusitis. The narrow channels connecting the nasal cavity and the sinuses become blocked and mucous is unable to drain from the sinuses. The mucous collects, and becomes infected.

In some circumstances, sinus channels are more likely to become blocked. Conditions such as nasal polyps or allergic rhinitis will increase the risk of blocked sinuses. Those with a deviated nasal septum (the cartilage wall that divides the nostrils) are also more susceptible to sinus problems. In addition, those with the genetic condition of cystic fibrosis also tend to be more prone to developing sinusitis.

What are the symptoms? While symptoms of sinusitis vary from person to person, some of the more common symptoms are:

• sneezing and coughing
• headache
• tenderness around the face and a feeling of heaviness and pain in the face when leaning down
• toothache
• discolored nasal discharge
• blocked nose
• pain at the bridge of the nose
• snoring
• post-nasal drip
• bad breath

Other symptoms of sinusitis can include fever, weakness, tiredness, cough (increasing in severity at night), and rhinitis, or nasal congestion. Experts estimate that as many as 37 million Americans are affected by sinusitis each year.

How is sinusitis treated? Sinusitis will often clear up without need for medical intervention and as the inflammation and infection is reduced, the snoring problem eases. Over the counter decongestants and painkillers may alleviate symptoms as will steam inhalation. If sinusitis persists for more than three days you should consult with your doctor.

If your sinuses are in particularly bad shape, your doctor might prescribe a course of antibiotics, which will clear up bacterial infections. In addition to (or instead of) antibiotics, your doctor may also prescribe a steroid-based nasal spray to reduce inflammation, or a mucolytic, which helps to thin the mucous. If you’ve experienced recurrent sinusitis, or the problem is persistent, further tests may be ordered to check for other health conditions that may be causing the blockage between the nasal and sinus cavities. Among other things, these tests will check for polyps (non-cancerous growths in the lining of the nose or sinuses) and cancerous tumors.

Because of the anatomy of the nose and sinuses, if an infection sets in and is not treated promptly it can be difficult to get rid of. The bacteria causing the infection have many places to hide and lurk within the warm moist atmosphere of the sinus cavities and it is not unusual to experience a recurrence of the condition once it has occurred.

It is important that sinusitis is treated quickly and appropriately, not only to end problematic snoring but also to kill the infection before it has a chance to colonize the sinuses. If chronic sinusitis goes untreated, it can cause damage that may require surgery to repair.

How can you avoid sinusitis? When suffering from a cold or allergies, you can help to prevent sinusitis from developing by using a decongestant, drinking plenty of fluids, and avoiding air travel. In everyday life, by avoiding alcohol, which causes swelling in the sinus and nasal membranes, swimming in pools sanitized by chlorine, an irritant, and diving, which forces water into the sinuses, you can minimize some of the risk.