As the year ends and weather conditions change, the sinusitis condition of Bich Ngoc, 25, in HCM City, is worsening. She has suffered from facial pain, especially around the nose, forehead, and eye sockets.

"I have trouble in sleeping every night because of a stuffy nose and difficulty breathing. Every morning when I wake up, my nose has thick discharge, and sometimes I lose my sense of smell entirely," she complained.

Ngọc discovered she had sinusitis when she moved to HCM City to study at university about 7-8 years ago. At that time, she saw the doctor several times and took medicine, but the illness repeatedly recurs.

In recent years, Ngọc frequently experienced sinus pain and a runny nose. However, instead of treating it, she decided to "live with it" because she knows the illness is likely to recur if she continues living in HCM City.

"Doctors said the environment in HCM City contains a lot of smoke, dust, and allergens. Frequent exposure to these agents makes it difficult to improve my condition and even make it worse. Additionally, sitting all day long in an air conditioned room also makes my nose dry and more sensitive," Ngọc said.

The office worker said many co-workers of hers also contract sinusitis. One of them had to undergo surgery because of serious illness, which caused frequent headaches, affecting her life and work.

According to Doctor Le Tran Quang Minh, Director of HCM City Otorhinorarynology Hospital, sinusitis is a common condition, especially in major cities.

"At our hospital, sinusitis cases account for about 30-35 percent of the total annual patient visits. The disease is increasingly common across various ages, particularly in severely polluted living environments," Minh said.

Sinusitis causes symptoms such as runny nose, headaches, and prolonged coughing, affecting health and reducing work efficiency.

If patients cannot be properly treated, the disease can lead to serious complications like meningitis, brain abscess, or even blindness due to impact on the eye sockets and nerves.

Minh said when experiencing symptoms such as runny nose, headache or nasal breathing difficulties, individuals should seek medical consultation promptly for diagnosis and timely treatment.

Sinusitis patients should focus on daily nasal and throat hygiene, wear face masks when going out, and improve their immune systems through a reasonable diet.

Those with allergic rhinitis should avoid allergens like seafood, beef, cold wind, and dust. If the condition persists, sufferers might consider treatment methods like specific desensitization. This method involves vaccine injections to help the body build antibodies, gradually reducing allergy severity over time.

Linh Thuy