Posts tagged sinus infection surgery

A growing body of research has pointed to some common problems found among western societies: That allergies, asthma and chronic sinus problems are increasing. Although the research is not conclusive, some researchers suspect one main reason for these growing problems is the “hygiene hypothesis,” also called the “cleanliness hypothesis.” This theory states that a lack of early childhood exposure to infectious organisms such as those found in gut flora, probiotics or common parasites increases the chances of allergic diseases because the immune system is naturally suppressed. In other words, the immune system’s tolerance is weakened because it hasn’t been exposed to certain bacteria and parasites that it should have at an earlier age.

Some of the microorganisms that many allergy and asthma suffers have not adapted to are allergens. People who are not routinely exposed to some allergens can develop allergies, particularly as children. When they are later exposed to an allergen, the body misidentifies the foreign substance as dangerous and then reacts with hives or other allergy symptoms.

There are many detractors of this hypothesis. But did you know that allergies and asthma are uncommon in developing or underdeveloped countries yet are increasing in developed countries?

Furthermore on increased allergies, research has shown that severe allergies are connected to chronic sinus problems and asthma. The connection to all these conditions has to do with the inflammation in the airways, which is similar in the nose and sinuses or in the lungs.

What can we do to prevent these conditions from progressing or causing greater severity in the other conditions? There is growing evidence that early management of allergies or sinus inflammation can reduce the risk of developing asthma. Immunotherapy (allergy shots, or now sublingual drops or tablets) in allergic and asthma-prone children has been shown in a couple of studies to reduce developing asthma and reducing asthma attacks.

According to Dr. Michael S. Benninger, “Sinus surgery may also be preventative in some people.” In a recently presented paper at the American Rhinologic Society’s spring meeting, researchers suggested people who underwent sinus surgery had lowered the severity of and even prevented their asthma from occurring.

Other interesting results from the paper include:

1. Allergy patients with chronic sinusitis were at a higher risk of developing asthma than those with no allergies.

2. Early surgical treatment (less than two years after a sinusitis diagnosis) resulted in less long-term asthma than in those who had surgery later (four to five years after a sinusitis diagnosis).

Sinuses affect the lungs and vice versa. What may cause inflammation in the sinuses may do so also in the lungs, especially for those with allergies. For those with allergies and chronic sinusitis, keeping the sinuses under control helps the lungs, and keeping the lungs under control helps the sinuses. Aggressive treatment, whether with allergy immunotherapy or sinus surgery, may help reduce the risk of developing a worse airway disease, like asthma.

What all this means is that we might be recommending surgery and immunotherapy earlier in order to relieve later symptoms.

One final though before you slather your children’s hands in antimicrobial gel: sometimes a little dirt is good for a little while. Of course, this doesn’t mean they should wash their hands regularly; it means we don’t have to be overly cautious with a little dirt sometimes because it might reduce the development of asthma and severe sinus problems.