For lots of people, sinus infections -- or sinusitis -- and asthma go together. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, as many as half of all people with moderate to severe asthma also have chronic sinusitis.

Along with all the problems caused by asthma, having sinusitis can be tough to handle. It can make you feel sick and miserable. Without good treatment, it can last for months or even years. What's worse, one condition can worsen the other. Sinusitis has been associated with more severe cases of asthma. So not only does having asthma increase the odds of getting a sinus infection, but a sinus infection can make your asthma harder to control.

But there's good news. There are lots of treatments available for both sinus infections and asthma. And studies show that treating one condition often helps relieve the symptoms of the other. The key is to treat both conditions aggressively.

What Is Sinusitis?

While there are many sinuses in your body, the term is often used to refer to the paranasal sinuses. These are a group of four hollow cavities in your face, near the cheeks and eyes. They're connected to the nasal passageways and help warm up, moisten and filter the air you breathe in. Sinusitis is the swelling or infection of these sinuses.

Just like the lining of your nose, the sinuses can become irritated and swollen by allergens, viruses, or bacterial infection. Common triggers of sinusitis include:

A cold or viral infection
Air pollution, smog
Airborne allergens
Dry or cold air
Ozone

When the tissue in the sinuses gets irritated, it produces mucus. If enough mucus and trapped air builds up, you feel painful pressure in the sinuses. These are the familiar signs of a sinus headache.

Symptoms of sinusitis vary, depending on which sinuses are affected. But some common signs are pain in these areas:

Forehead
Upper jaw and teeth
Area around the eyes
Neck, ear, and on the top of the head

Severe sinusitis can also cause:

Thick yellow or green mucus
Bad-tasting postnasal drip
Sore throat
Fever
Weakness
Fatigue
Cough

Usually, sinus infections are caused by viruses, like a cold virus. But if the sinuses have been blocked for too long, bacteria can invade, causing a secondary infection. Having multiple sinus infections can lead to chronic (long-term) sinusitis.

What's the Connection Between Sinusitis and Asthma?

Many studies have shown a connection between sinus infections and asthma. One 2006 study showed that, when compared with those who only have asthma, people who have both sinusitis and asthma:

Tend to have more severe asthma symptoms
May have more severe asthma flares
Are more likely to have disturbed sleep

The risks of developing sinusitis may not be the same for everyone with asthma. The same 2006 study showed that sinusitis coupled with asthma was more common in women than men. It also may be more common in whites than other racial groups. Acid reflux (GERD) and smoking may increase the risk of someone with asthma developing sinusitis, too.

The study also suggested that the more severe a person's asthma is, the more debilitating the sinusitis. In people with severe asthma, sinusitis seems to make the asthma symptoms harder to control.

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