Unlocking the Link: Exploring How Sinus Issues Impact High Blood Pressure

High Blood

High Blood even if your blood pressure is generally on the high side but it’s well controlled, you may notice your numbers start to creep up when you have a sinus infection. Coincidence? Not likely, says Robert Segal, M.D., a cardiologist and the founder of Manhattan Cardiology and Medical Offices of Manhattan in New York City. “Fighting infection, such as a sinus infection, your body’s response may be an increased temperature or heart rate,” he says, “which can drive up your blood pressure.

From Dr. Segal:

“There are certain medications that relieve sinus pressure during a sinus infection that increase the blood pressure. Thus, for someone who already has been told they have high blood pressure or hypertension, it is necessary to handle sinus problems in such a way as not to drive their numbers through the roof. So, how does sinus issue and blood pressure relate and what can one do in this regard?”

Sinus problems

The sinuses are cavities full of air located our cheeks, forehead, and nose, “Make mucus that drains out of passages that connect to your nose” Dr. Segal says. “Infections, either caused by a virus or bacteria, can cause inflammation to the lining in these sinuses and therefore block the sinuses from draining properly,” he adds. “This can cause symptoms such as facial pressure, teeth pain, and runny nose.
Dr. Segal continues to explain that inflammation causes an immune response, which can lead to a rise in blood pressure, even if the patient is under medication to maintain his or her hypertension under control. It may not be a severe climb, but monitoring the pressure allows determining how much it is increasing from the infection.

Causes and Symptoms of Sinus Problems

Sinus infection, or sinusitis, is a common health problem, which affects 31 million people in the U.S every year, such that Americans spend more than $1 billion to buy over-the-counter medication to relieve the systems, according to American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology . The people at the risk of getting infected include:

The AACAI explains that the most common cause of a sinus infection is bacteria, but it can also be caused by virus and mold, as well as seasonal allergens. Dr. Wafi Momin, D.O., a cardiologist at University of Texas Health in Houston, states that sinus flareup with a runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, and itching, may not be serious if it is occasional. However, when the problem is chronic and characterized with ongoing infections, it might be beneficial to talk to a doctor to find out the cause and discuss treatment options compatible with managing hypertension .
According to the AACAI, a chronic sinus infection is one that goes three to eight weeks. If it lasts longer than that, it’s considered a chronic bout. If you’re experiencing any of the following symptoms along with a chronically stuffy nose, then you may have a sinus infection:

  • Bad breath Coughing
  • Fatigue
  • Frontal headaches
  •  Tenderness in the face, especially under the eyes or at the bridge of the nose
  • Tooth pain

NOTE : Often, sinusitis confuses us with rhinitis; in fact, rhinitis is a medical term that describes a variety of symptoms such as runny nose, sneezing, or congestion that occur when the nasal passages are inflamed and irritated. Rhinitis only affects the nasal lining and is normally caused by cold and allergies, informs AACAI . Sinusitis is characterized by more widespread inflammatory processes within the sinuses and in other parts of the body, which cannot be said to be associated with raising temperature.

Topic: Sinus medications and blood pressure

Statement : If you have a sinus infection, it can leave you feeling miserable and heading to the drugstore for one of the many cold medications on the market that promise to relieve your symptoms. Dr. Momin says that if you have high blood pressure, you’ll want to be mindful of a few additional aspects.
Some medications that are used to relieve sinus congestion contain ingredients that work by constricting blood vessels,” he says. “That constriction can help reduce the swelling in the nasal cavity and provide some temporary relief. However, systemically, these medications constrict larger blood vessels, and blood pressure goes up. Therefore, people who have high blood pressure already will need to be careful about using drugs such as these on a regular basis.
According to Dr. Segal, the top 3 ingredients to avoid include “oxymetazoline, pheylephrine and pseudoephedrine. ” That doesn’t mean you just have to deal with the symptoms, though. For example, Coricidin is an over-the-counter cold medication that has been marketed for people with high blood pressure to use. So you may want to try that option before you ask your doctor for more prescription alternatives.

Other Silent Cardiovascular Risks of Sinusitis

In addition to the manner in which an infection can raise body temperature and also impact blood tension, this kind of sinusitis might have secondary impact which increases cardiovascular risks, says Dr. Segal. It can impact sleep seriously.
“Nasal blockage can likewise result in airway blockage and sleep apnoea,” he says. “Sleep apnoea is a severe problem which results in breathing cessation during sleep for a very short time period and can lead to high blood pressure and irregular heart rhythms.” Therefore, if you are enduring from persistent sinusitis or rhinitis signs, you must ask your physician to test you for sleep apnoea.
Research conducted in the Journal of the American Heart Association indicates that sleep apnea has been linked not only with high blood pressure but with a higher risk of other heart problems as well. These are as follows:

Research also suggests that ongoing inflammation of the sinuses can stir up cardiovascular problems as well. A study published in Rhinology claims that those people that have inflamed sinuses for longer than 12 weeks have a significantly higher prevalence of cardiovascular diseases such as ischemic heart disease in males and stroke.

When to Talk to Doctor

If a sinus infection sticks around for longer than eight weeks, or if you notice other effects—such as unusually high home blood pressure readings, or troubled sleep—that are new to you, then by all means, check in, says Dr. Lowe. The same goes, he adds, if your sinus infections are shorter but recur more than once every few years.
However, for people who have hypertension, “there should always be a dialogue between a physician and their patient about potential sinus issues,” he says. “Complications, such as high blood pressure from over-the-counter decongestants, can be easily avoided through counseling, as well as alternative recommendations.” If your sinus issues have to do with an allergen or a structural issue within your sinus cavity, addressing that can help prevent sinus issues in the future, which can also be a boon to your blood pressure management.

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