NW LA Times

Inflammation of the sinus can affect anyone. Just ask British skeleton racer Lizzy Yarnold, who struggled with sinus pain during the 2018 Olympics before bouncing back and taking the gold medal.

According to a report by The Sun, Yarnold, who had already won the gold medal in the 2014 Olympics, was struggling to breathe in the cold air of PyeongChang in 2018, and it led to her having a difficult run. She told reporters that she had issues with her sinuses affecting her throat and inner ear, but after using a steam bowl, Yarnold bounced back with a record-setting run. She took home the gold medal and became the first double Olympic champion in the history of skeleton.

Dr. Glenn Waldman of Bella Vista ENT explained that eustachian tube connects the back of the nose to the middle ear. It is normally filled with air and for it to vibrate correctly there needs to be the right amount of pressure. This is through the tube opening and closing throughout the day to let air come through the nose, to the tube and into the ear.

“If that tube is blocked or obstructed, you won't be able to replenish the air, which leads to a loss of air pressure in the ear, which causes sort of a suction mechanism on the eardrum and you can't hear very well, and your ear feels plugged in,” Waldman explained. “It's like you're on a plane and you feel like you need to pop your ears.”

Waldman said the eustachian tube can get plugged when there is inflammation of the sinus due to allergies or sinus infection. He said when the nose gets inflamed and swollen, leading to sinuses being swollen, the eustachian tube gets inflamed as well. According to healthline.com, eustachian tubes run between the middle ears and upper throat and equalize ear pressure as well as drain fluid from the middle ear behind the eardrum. The tubes are closed except for when chewing, swallowing or yawning.

“Then you get blockage and that's how you get those ear problems,” Waldman said. “The goal of the treatment is to relieve that blockage of the eustachian to relieve that chronic inflammation so it starts opening and closing and letting the air exchange.”

Yarnold's sinus issues were caused by an inner ear issue.

Ailments like acute sinusitis is often caused by the common cold and often causes inflammation of the sinus. Unless a bacterial infection occurs it can usually be resolved between a week and 10 days. Home remedies like the steam bowl Yarnold use can alleviate sinusitis fairly quickly, but chronic cases may need surgical procedures like a balloon sinuplasty. This is fairly non-invasive and involves a balloon being put into the sinus and inflated so mucus can be drained to unblock the sinus.

To evaluate symptoms, Bella Vista ENT offers a Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz on its website. For additional information about inflammation of the sinus and other sinus issues, log onto www.bellavistaent.com.