LAX Leader

As the calendar turns from one year to another, many are turning their eye to solving the longtime problem of chronic sinus pain and congested breathing.

Millions of Americans suffer from these problems, but new treatments are becoming available to drastically improve the condition. An inability to breathe properly through the nose, or experiencing pain while breathing, can cause several issues in overall general health. 

Dr. Jeffrey Feinfield, of Bella Vista ENT & Facial Plastic Surgery, talked about the potential problems that come from failure to treat such sinus issues. 

"We as humans are what's called 'obligate nasal breathers,' where our brain prefers that we are breathing through our nose," Feinfield told the LAX Leader. "It's the most efficient way to oxygenate our brain, and it causes great anxiety when we don't. We can talk about all the health complications that come from having a blocked nasal passage: sleep apnea, inflammatory mediators that can cause stroke, ED (erectile dysfunction) in men, poor quality of life, depression."

Sleep-related issues can reverberate throughout the life of a patient. One of the possible problems that can arise is the failure of your breathing system to properly filtrate the air you're breathing. 

"If you're not able to breathe well through your nose and you're mouth-breathing, you're not going to get the same kind of filtration that you're supposed to get through the nose," Dr. Glenn Waldman, an otolaryngologist at the same clinic, told the LAX Leader.

A recent study published in the International Journal of Kinesiology and Sports Science studied 10 runners, both male and female, who implemented nasal-only breathing for six months while exercising. Their maximum rate of oxygen consumption did not change between nasal and mouth breathing. But the study found that the runners’ respiratory rate, which are breaths per minute, and ratio of oxygen intake to carbon dioxide output decreased during nasal breathing. In other words, their bodies didn’t have to work as hard to get the same amount of oxygen.

Many benefits can be enjoyed from nasal breathing. For instance, breathing through the nose while exercising promotes good form, good posture, and therefore, prevents injuries. When breathing slowly through the nose, people allow their lungs to fill up and use the diaphragm more effectively.

If you have been suffering from sinus infections or allergies and want to breathe better in the New Year, take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.