First off, what is a comorbidity? Comorbidities are 2 or more health conditions that exist at the same time.1 These health conditions existing at the same time can affect each other in terms of treatment and prognosis. The most common comorbidities are high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity, to name a few.
Chronic conditions, defined as long-term health issues that can last a lifetime, frequently present with comorbidities, meaning other related or unrelated health conditions also exist while dealing with a chronic condition. As allergy season winds down, so do most sinus issues, for some people. But not for those of us dealing with chronic sinus issues, or more particularly, chronic rhinosinusitis.2
Chronic rhinosinusitis, sometimes simply referred to as chronic sinusitis, or CRS, occurs when the lining of the sinuses becomes infected, irritated, swollen, and inflamed, leading to extra mucus and issues with mucus drainage for more than 12 weeks at a time. Symptoms vary per person but may include congestion, mucus discharge from the nose or the throat, facial pain, and a decreased sense of smell.
If dealing with CRS is not enough, those of us with CRS often deal with comorbidities. The most common comorbidities are:3
When it comes to COPD, studies found that around 22% of people who have COPD also have CRS, yet 82% of those people were undiagnosed. When it comes to asthma, researchers estimate that the prevalence of CRS in people with asthma is between 22-45%, and that CRS is often associated with more severe asthma. Similarly, the prevalence of CRS in people with bronchiectasis is prevalent enough that researchers suggest clinicians be aware of what both look like.4
“Living with asthma and CRS is definitely a double whammy. Living with it, and having to do things to take care of it, medicine, rinsing, all of those things, is frustrating but I’m alive. I have to keep reminding myself of that.”
- Keema, 61, NOWINCLUDED Ambassador
So what does this mean for those of us living with CRS and other health conditions?
It means we need to take extra care of ourselves and sometimes take an extra step to get the proper healthcare. A few tips from our NOWINCLUDED community:
- When possible, use an air purifier in your space. Always consult your air purifier’s manual for specific cleaning instructions.
- Find out your allergens and other triggers and avoid them when possible. Whether it be lifestyle triggers like stress or irritants like pollution, identifying them is the first step.
- If possible, see an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist or your healthcare provider to discuss possible treatments, like nasal sprays, decongestants such as Sudafed or Benadryl, mucus thinners, or even sinus surgery. Be vocal about what’s working and what isn’t.
- Struggling to find the right provider? Consider using this “Find an ENT” search engine, offered by the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.
- Join the NOWINCLUDED chronic conditions community to see how others are managing their CRS and other health conditions.
References
- Cleveland Clinic. Comorbidities Definition. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/comorbidities
- Lee S, Lane AP. Chronic rhinosinusitis as a multifactorial inflammatory disorder. Curr Infect Dis Rep. 2011 Apr;13(2):159-68. doi: 10.1007/s11908-011-0166-z. PMID: 21365379; PMCID: PMC4372071. https://www.aaaai.org/tools-for-the-public/latest-research-summaries/the-journal-of-allergy-and-clinical-immunology-in/2019/comorbidities
- Elisabeth Arndal, Anne Lyngholm Sørensen, Therese Sophie Lapperre, Nihaya Said, Charlotte Trampedach, Kasper Aanæs, Mikkel Christian Alanin, Karl Bang Christensen, Vibeke Backer, Christian von Buchwald. Chronic rhinosinusitis in COPD: A prevalent but unrecognized comorbidity impacting health related quality of life, Respiratory Medicine, Volume 171, 2020, 106092, ISSN 0954-6111, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rmed.2020.106092.
- Murtomäki A, Helevä A, Torkki P, Haukka J, Julkunen-Iivari A, Lemmetyinen R, Mäkelä M, Dietz A, Nuutinen M, Toppila-Salmi S. Comorbidities of chronic rhinosinusitis in children and adults. Clin Transl Allergy. 2024 Apr;14(4):e12354. doi: 10.1002/clt2.12354. PMID: 38658181; PMCID: PMC11043011. https://www.aaaai.org/tools-for-the-public/latest-research-summaries/the-journal-of-allergy-and-clinical-immunology-in/2021/bronchiectasis
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