Exposure to secondhand smoke has been previously linked to several medical conditions such as asthma, heart disease and some cancers. Researchers at Canada’s Brock University have recently discovered a link between chronic sinus disease and exposure to secondhand smoke. The researchers conducted a study of over 300 non-smoking patients with chronic sinus disease, a condition characterized by a chronic sinus inflammation that lasts eight weeks or longer. In this study, the patients had chronic sinus disease for longer than three months.
The patients’ exposure to secondhand smoke during five years before their diagnosis was compared to that of a group of the same number of non-smoking patients without chronic sinus disease. The study showed the non-smoking patients with chronic sinus disease who were more likely to have been exposed to secondhand smoke at home, work, private social functions or public places than the non-smoking patients who did not have chronic sinus disease. According to the study, 40 percent of the cases of chronic sinus disease showed a connection between the disease and secondhand smoke exposure.
The researchers were not able to determine the underlying cause for the link between chronic sinus disease and secondhand smoke exposure. Cigarette smoke has been proven to lower immunity and increase a person’s susceptibility to infection. In addition, studies have proven that long-time exposure to secondhand smoke can be harmful to your health. These new findings provide yet another reason to avoid exposure to secondhand smoke–to keep your sinuses healthy.
