Rising air pollution is fueling chronic sinusitis among young Indians

Walk through any metro in winter—Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Hyderabad—and you’ll notice a familiar pattern. People stepping out with blocked noses, drowsy eyes, headaches that refuse to fade, and that nagging heaviness around the cheeks. What earlier felt like a temporary cold now lingers for weeks, sometimes even months. Many young adults think it’s just the weather or a “dust allergy,” but what we’re actually seeing is a steady rise in chronic sinusitis linked directly to worsening air quality.

Blame PM2.5 

Chronic sinusitis is no longer a once-in-a-while ENT problem. For many in polluted cities, it has quietly become an everyday health burden that affects sleep, productivity, concentration, and even mood.

The biggest culprit is something you can’t fully escape: PM2.5 particles, the ultra-fine pollutants that float through city air long after smog alerts fade.

Here’s what young Indians need to understand about this growing problem. PM2.5 isn’t just “pollution dust”—it behaves like needle-sized irritants inside your sinuses. Most people imagine pollution as large, dusty particles you can see. PM2.5 is different. These microscopic particles slip deep into the nasal passages and lodge themselves in the sinus lining.

When these tiny pollutants settle inside the sinus passages, the lining slowly starts to get irritated and inflamed. Over time, the natural mucus flow begins to slow, the sinus walls remain swollen instead of clearing out as they should, and the body’s immune system stays on high alert, as if it’s constantly fighting something in the background.

This slow, smouldering irritation creates the perfect conditions for persistent blockage, facial pain, and that constant feeling of heaviness or pressure in the head.

Not just ‘stuffy nose’

Swollen sinuses make nasal breathing harder, which means young people unknowingly:

- Switch to mouth breathing at night
- Wake up multiple times
- Experience shallow, poor-quality sleep
- Feel fatigued or foggy the next day

Many patients say, “I sleep eight hours but still wake up tired.” When the nose stays blocked, oxygen flow drops through the night, disturbing sleep cycles and leaving concentration, immunity, and overall energy lower than they should be. Over time, it becomes a loop—clogged sinuses worsen sleep, and poor sleep makes inflammation harder to heal.

Polluted air makes the nose more vulnerable to recurrent infections. Healthy sinuses have a smart cleaning system. But prolonged PM2.5 exposure slows these movements down. When that happens, mucus becomes thick, stagnant, and infection-prone.

This is why so many young people experience:

- Repeated “colds”
- Sinus infections needing multiple antibiotic courses
- Sore throats that come and go
- Post-nasal drip that triggers cough or bad breath

Polluted air weakens the very defenses that normally prevent them.

Problem of indoor pollution 

Many people in our cities spend most of their time inside—offices, cafés, gyms, or compact homes with limited airflow. The air in these spaces often carries smoke, settled dust, chemical fumes from cleaners, kitchen vapours, and pollutants trapped in AC filters. So even when people stay indoors on bad-air days, their sinuses still wind up dealing with the irritants hiding inside the house.

Urban air pollution is reshaping respiratory health in young Indians. Chronic sinusitis is one of the earliest signs our bodies give when the air becomes too harsh.

The good news is that with timely attention, steady nasal care, and a few everyday habit changes, you can keep these issues from turning into long-term problems.

If your sinus issues are becoming a constant companion—affecting sleep, concentration, or daily comfort—it’s worth getting evaluated. Your sinuses can heal, but they need breathing space to do so. 

Small steps; big difference

- Start with nasal hygiene

Using a simple saline rinse once or twice a day can clear the irritants and help your sinuses breathe a little easier.

- Support your indoor air

Keeping rooms aired out, cleaning AC filters, and adding a few indoor plants can ease the irritants in the air.

- Use pollution masks wisely

A well-fitted N95 mask on high AQI days can cut exposure significantly.

- Don’t ignore sleep quality

If nasal blockage affects your nights, you may need tailored treatment.

- Know when to see a specialist

If symptoms persist beyond 12 weeks, it’s no longer “just a cold.”

(The author is consultant - interventional pulmonologist at a Bengaluru hospital)