Sunshine Sentinel

• Chronic sinusitis affects 28.9 million American adults or 11% of the adult population. 
• There are many symptoms associated with chronic sinusitis, including erectile dysfunction. 
• To address erectile dysfunction associated with sinusitis, it is essential for the patient to effectively treat their sinusitis.

One relatively surprising possible symptom of chronic sinusitis is an increased risk of erectile dysfunction. According to Dr. Mariah Pate of Tampa Bay Breathe Free, sinusitis can certainly affect someone’s sex life.  

“Many studies show that there's a close correlation between chronic sinusitis and an increased risk of erectile dysfunction in men,” Dr. Pate told the Sunshine Sentinel.

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 United States, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). A study using data from more than one million people from Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) found that chronic rhinosinusitis is associated with an increased risk of erectile dysfunction. According to the report, treating rhinosinusitis 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 experience erectile dysfunction 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, medications such as Sudafed or other cold medications can also cause erectile dysfunction, according to Men's Journal.

Erectile dysfunction can be caused by a mix of physical and psychological issues, according to the Mayo Clinic. Often there are underlying issues associated with erectile dysfunction, and those can be helped by seeing a doctor. 

According to Tampa Bay Breathe Free's website, Dr. Mariah Pate, a certified otolaryngologist, graduated magna cum laude from the University of Florida. She earned her medical degree from Quillen College of Medicine at East Tennessee State University, finishing in the top 5% of her class. Dr. Pate completed her otolaryngology internship and residency at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University.