Richmond Leader

• As of last year, reports have shown that more than one-third of Americans live in areas with poor air quality.
• With the Canadian wildfires affecting the U.S. throughout the summer, it's likely that your breathing has been affected.
• If you suffer from asthma or other sinus issues, seeking treatment from a sinus specialist can help to reduce issues that could be triggered by bad air quality.

With the air quality in the U.S. on the decline, millions of Americans have had to deal with the health risks that come along with that. Dr. John Ditto of Richmond Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers said the nose is integral to your overall health, so if you're not breathing well, more than just your nose could be affected. 

"The nasal vestibule is the pathway to your health. The nose is an anti-infection system in your body," Ditto told Richmond Leader. "Not only is it lined with a moist mucosa -- and it's sticky to catch particles and so forth -- but it has immunoglobulins and immune cells there to help initiate early protection from infections. Also, it helps to decrease the flow of these pathogens and allergens into the lungs, and we know that the nose and the lungs are considered a unified airway, in the sense that allergies affect the nose."

The American Lung Association’s “State of the Air'' 2023 report noted that 36% of Americans live in areas with unhealthy levels of ozone pollution. This equates to more than 119.6 million people. Another area of concern is deadly particulate matter pollution, which consists of dust, ash, soot and metals. For this, the report showed 63.7 million people living in counties affected, which is the highest level ever reported.

It's no secret that wildfires have been an issue affecting multiple countries around the world lately, and a 2022 report by the UN Environment Programme, cited by CNN, stated that the number of extreme wildfire events could increase by up to 14% by 2030. It's expected to increase up to 30% by 2050.

Most recently, Canada has had the worst wildfire season on record due to rising temperatures and dry conditions, according to National Public Radio. This has also affected many areas of the U.S., causing air quality to go downhill. This unfortunate wildfire season isn't expected to end anytime soon either, as it normally lasts until October.

Although bad air quality conditions aren't good for anyone, they could be especially troublesome for people who struggle with asthma and other sinus issues, making these problems worse through nasal inflammation. According to the American Sinus Institute, nasal inflammation, or sinusitis, is described as swelling of the tissue that lines the sinuses. They mention that this blocks the nasal air passageways and causes mucus to increase, potentially causing an infection.

If you're prone to any of these issues, seeking treatment from a sinus specialist can help. To learn more about the symptoms of sinusitis and allergies, take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.