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Can Acid Reflux Cause Sinus Problems?

Chronic sinusitis and acid reflux frequently occur together, but scientists are not sure exactly why. Because of the high co-occurrence, doctors, including Dr. Timothy Smith from the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, believe the two conditions are somehow related. Dr. Smith hypothesizes that acid reflux somehow participates in causing sinus problems.

  1. Co-occurrence

    • According to a study published in the Archives of Otolaryngology Head Neck Surgery, 63 percent of patients with chronic sinus disease (CSD) also had gastroesophageal disease (GERD).

    Treatment Success

    • In that same study, 79 percent of the patients treated for GERD also exhibited improvement in their CSD.

    Direct Inflammation

    • Gastroesophageal reflux may directly affect nasal mucosa, causing inflammation and sinus congestion.

    Laryngopharyngeal Reflux

    • Laryngopharyngeal reflux, or LPR, is a specific reflux condition where reflux reaches the throat. In order to reach the throat, the reflux has to pass through a sphincter at the top of the esophagus. When this occurs, it may cause sinus problems.

    Neural Mechanism

    • Dr. Smith theorizes that GERD or LPR triggers neurological mechanisms that cause sinusitis.

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