Sunshine Sentinel

• Pro golfer Bryson DeChambeau began experiencing dizzy spells at the 2020 Masters.
• After meeting with an ENT specialist, DeChambeau learned that his vertigo was caused by a blocked nasal passage.
• After sinus surgery, DeChambeau found that his dizziness went away, his thoughts were clearer, he could speak better and his energy levels were higher.

Professional golfer Bryson DeChambeau had been suffering from vertigo for nearly two years before he saw an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist who traced the problem to a blocked nasal passage caused by a chronic sinus infection.

After undergoing sinus surgery last November in Dallas to remove the blockage, DeChambeau found that not only his dizzy spells were gone, but several other aspects of his health had also improved. 

According to local doctor, Matthew Blair, of Gulf Coast Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers, chronic sinusitis can have an adverse impact on your health.

"Nasal obstruction, chronic sinusitis or chronic allergies really affect one's quality of life,” Blair told Sunshine Sentinel. “If you have a poor outlook on life because you're always suffering from allergies or sinusitis, it's going to affect the rest of your general health. So if you can get your nose in tip-top shape, you're going to feel better and you'll want to do more things, and you're going to overall improve your quality of health.”

According to LIV Golf, DeChambeau had been experiencing the dizzy spells in November 2020. In an effort to uncover the issue, he underwent a full body scan, which detected a cyst in his left maxillary sinus, and he then went to an ENT specialist. The ENT physician pointed out that the cyst was restricting air flow in DeChambeau's nasal passage, limiting the amount of oxygen he was getting, and the low nitric oxide levels had resulted in the dizzy spells.

For three or four days after undergoing the surgery to remove the cyst, DeChambeau had to breathe through his mouth to avoid any issues with his nose, leading to a sore throat. After that initial period, however, he said that he could breathe normally for the first time in a long time.

“To get that fixed, it’s been the greatest decision of my life,” DeChambeau told LIV Golf. “My energy level is so much better. My clarity of thought is way better. I don’t know if you can tell, but my speech is a lot more fluent, and I’m not stopping as much or pitching as much like I used to last year and before. I feel like I’m back to 2018 me.”

DeChambeau’s performance on the fairways backs that up. At the beginning of 2018, DeChambeau was ranked 99th, but a series of wins led to him finishing out the year ranked 5th.

According to the University of Washington School of Medicine, the inflammation associated with chronic sinusitis often impacts a person’s ability to concentrate and can lead to depression.

The Cleveland Clinic  says people suffering with chronic sinusitis can experience facial pan, decreased energy levels and pressure in the sinus areas. They may also have a reduced ability to taste and smell and can experience coughing, congestion and nasal discharge.

If you're interested in learning more about the symptoms of sinusitis and allergies, take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.