Maryland State Wire

• Chronic sinusitis affects 28.9 million American adults, or 11% of the adult population. 
• Balloon sinuplasty is the procedure most often recommended for people with chronic sinusitis. 
• There are many symptoms associated with chronic sinusitis, including erectile dysfunction.

Studies show that erectile dysfunction is one of many possible symptoms of chronic sinusitis. According to Dr. Stephen Bane of Capitol Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers, there is a clear correlation between sinusitis and erectile dysfunction.

"There's a significant portion of men who have sinusitis who also have erectile dysfunction," Dr. Bane told the Maryland State Wire.

Erectile dysfunction, which the National Institutes of Health defines as “the inability to attain and maintain an erection of sufficient quality to permit satisfactory sexual intercourse,” affects approximately 5% of men in the United States, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). A study using data from more than one million people from Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) found that chronic rhinosinusitis can put patients at increased risk for erectile dysfunction. According to the report, treating rhinosinusitis surgically significantly decreased the risk of erectile dysfunction in patients.

Yahoo Sports reported that men who suffer from chronic sinusitis are as much as 50% more likely to be impotent compared to men who do not suffer from sinusitis, citing a report from Kaohsiung University in Taiwan. The study found that when sinusitis inflames the lining of the sinuses, it causes the blood vessels in men's genitals to restrict blood flow.

While some people might turn to medication to try to alleviate their sinus symptoms, medications such as Sudafed or other cold medications can also cause erectile dysfunction, according to Men's Journal.

Erectile dysfunction can be caused by a mix of physical and psychological issues. Often, there are underlying issues associated with erectile dysfunction, and those can be helped by seeing a doctor, according to the Mayo Clinic. 

According to Capitol Breathe Free's website, Dr. Stephen Bane trained in general surgery in New York at NYU and Bellevue Hospitals. He has practiced in Woodbridge and has been on staff at Potomac Hospital/Sentara Northern VA Medical Center since 1997. He served as Chairman of the OR Committee, ENT Section Chief, and Medical Executive Committee, and he is currently Chairman of the Surgical Department. He was recognized as one of Northern Virginia Magazine’s Top Doctors in 2020.