Yes, in many patients I see, allergic rhinitis is a significant driver of recurrent or chronic sinusitis. When the nasal lining is persistently inflamed due to an allergic response, it can obstruct the narrow passages that connect the sinuses to the nasal cavity. This blocked drainage allows mucus to accumulate and creates conditions in which bacterial or fungal infections may develop. Patients who return to me with repeated courses of antibiotics for sinus infections often turn out to have an underlying allergy that has never been formally assessed. Treating the allergy, whether through allergen avoidance, antihistamines or immunotherapy, can reduce the frequency of sinus infections significantly. If you experience two or more episodes of sinusitis per year, I recommend an allergy evaluation alongside standard sinus assessment.
Written by: Dr. Arathi Karat, MBBS, MS ENT, DNB ENT, Consultant ENT Specialist and Allergy Expert, Allergy Central, Indiranagar, and Chirayu Multi-Speciality Clinic, Kasturi Nagar, Bengaluru.
Related reading:
Allergic Rhinitis and Sinusitis: How to Tell the Difference and When You May Have Both
