You struggle to breathe, your nose is stopped up, pounding pain and pressure behind behind your eyes, and you can’t concentrate or focus. Brain Fog!
Brain fog makes it a struggle to get anything accomplished. Your thinking isn’t sharp, instead it is fuzzy and sluggish. If you’re suffering from sinusitis and brain fog, contact Orlando Ear, Nose & Throat.
How is brain fog linked to our sinuses?
Lack of oxygen
If your sinuses are inflamed and swollen, you are probably going to breathe through your mouth. Which can compromise your breathing and leads to a lack of oxygen. Throughout the day, try focusing on your breathing.
Medication
Over the counter medication is one way to try and combat the symptoms of a sinus infection. Unfortunately, the ingredients can affect our mental clarity.
Lack of sleep
According to a recent article in Healthy 24, “If your sinusitis symptoms keep you from getting a decent night’s sleep, your mental clarity will be compromised. An article published in the Forum of Allergy and Rhinology investigated the effect of chronic sinusitis on sleep and found that that the daily activities of many patients were negatively affected by a change in sleeping patterns. Ensure a restful night by avoiding medications containing pseudoephedrine late in the afternoon or in the evening.”
Inflammation
When inflammation occurs due to sinusitis, your body works harder because it goes into fighting mode. A study published in the Frontiers in Neuroscience reported a clear link between brain fog and chronic inflammation.
Disruption in brain activity
Health Day recently published an article about brain health and chronic sinusitis. “After further analyzing brain scans of this particular group, they discovered that a major functional hub — the frontoparietal network — was disrupted in cases of sinus inflammation.”
“This brain area is important in coordinating the activity of several brain areas and maintaining balance in the brain,” Jafari, an assistant professor with the University of Washington Sinus and Skull Base Center, in Seattle, said. He noted that the area seemingly affected by sinus inflammation largely overlaps with those brain regions that are affected by mental illnesses, such as depression and schizophrenia, “both of which are surprisingly common among sinusitis patients.”
