Can humidity worsen sinus symptoms without infection? ENT expert Dr Trisha Srivastava explains sinus issues in monsoon

The rains are not directly responsible for causing the sinus issues in monsoon. In most cases, it is the allergens that thrive in the season, says physician.

Sinus issues are a common occurrence during the rainy season. However, according to ENT expert Dr Trisha Srivastava, it is not always an infection, and the rains are less to blame than people believe.

In an interaction with HT Lifestyle, Dr Srivastava explained what causes sinus trouble in the monsoon, and what can be done about it.

Why sinus issues rise during the monsoon season

People often blame the damp air for thickening mucus and causing sinus troubles, but Dr Srivastava explained that they have it backwards.

“Water thins mucus,” she explained. “Your nose is lined with a fine mucus sheet, and beneath it millions of microscopic cilia beat in waves, sweeping it toward your throat at about a centimetre a minute, all day. That system works best in warm, near-saturated air and worst in dry air, which is why air-conditioned offices wreck noses, not rain.”

“Dust mites need humidity above 50 percent to breed; mould needs sustained dampness. Give both a fortnight of Indian monsoon, and their numbers explode,” she stated.

Blocked nose during the rainy season is often due to allergens.

Thus, when a person breathes in several times their allergen load, their linings swell and stop. Thus, while the condition looks like an infection, it is in fact an allergic reaction.

The doctor pointed out that the nose genuinely feels blocked at such times, but that is not from the blocked airflow. The sense of an open nose comes from cool air triggering cold receptors in the lining. In warm, saturated air, that cue vanishes, so the nose feels blocked while measurements show no narrowing.

How to keep sinus issues in check

There are a few steps one can take to reduce the risk of having sinus trouble in the rainy season, noted Dr Srivastava. They are presented as follows.

• Keep indoor humidity at 30–50 percent, which is hostile to mites, unfriendly to mould, and comfortable for humans.
• Use a dehumidifier, or keep the AC in dry mode
• Do not dry clothes indoors with the windows shut
• Sun the mattresses; wash the bedding
• Scrub visible mould early
• Rinse — saline irrigation is unglamorous, cheap, and among the best-supported things one can do for a blocked nose, noted the ENT expert.

“See a doctor for fever with facial swelling, symptoms past ten days, the improve-then-worsen pattern, one-sided blockage or bleeding, or any visual change,” she further advised.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.

Dr Trisha Srivastava is an ENT surgeon with over 10 years of experience in diagnosing and managing a wide spectrum of ear, nose, and throat conditions, who is engaged as an ENT consultant at Artemis Hospitals. A postgraduate in ENT from Bangalore Medical College, Dr Srivastava is proficient in performing the full range of ENT surgeries across both adult and pediatric populations.