West LA Times

• 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. Matt Hershcovitch of SoCal Breathe Free, there is a correlation between sinusitis and decreased libido. 

"Decrease in sex drive and libido is linked to chronic sinusitis indirectly," Dr. Hershcovitch told the West LA Times. "Those with chronic sinusitis often have headaches, nasal obstruction, and decreased oxygenation in their bodies. This leads to increased cortisol levels, decreased libido and decreased sex drive. Consequently, as an aside, one of the things that can actually help temporarily improve nasal congestion, although it's not a long-term cure, is having sex."

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 SoCal Breathe Free's website, Dr. Matt Hershcovitch received his undergraduate degree in nuclear engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He continued his education at the State University of New York for medical school. Dr. Hershcovitch finished his residency training in head and neck surgery at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and completed his training with a fellowship in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery at Stanford University.