Baltimore City Wire

Lizzy Yarnold was almost derailed from winning two gold medals at consecutive Winter Olympics due to sinus problems.

Sinus problems impacted her second run in 2014 and a middle-ear disorder assuredly slowed her in 2018. Yet Yarnold won the women's skeleton in 2014 and 2018, becoming the first Olympian to accomplish that feat in the history of the sport, according to Wikipedia.

“It was a much faster track than it had been in training,” she told The Guardian in 2014 about defying the sinus infection. “I have got a bit of a throat and sore sinus thing going on. I think I am struggling to breathe enough because it’s very cold here. It’s a little bit dusty as well, so I am doing lots of steaming over a bowl.”

Dr. Jamie Oberman, with Frederick Breathe Free, said that the nose is the entry point for all the pathogens that we're exposed to.

“Especially in this COVID area, we found that the epicenter of that virus is inoculation in the nose,” Oberman added. “That's why we're all wearing masks. So, it's super important anatomy and it's the epicenter of how we're exposed to viral and bacterial pathogens."

Oberman said that Yarnold’s sinus issues, which were caused by an inner ear issue, could have been extremely debilitating. 

“The studies show that it certainly contributes to a loss of vitality, productivity and quality of life,” he said. “You don't have to live with it. There are solutions out there, and many of which are very well tolerated and minimally invasive and almost risk free.”

Eustachian tubes, which run between your middle ears and upper throat, are in charge of balancing ear pressure and draining fluid from the middle ear, the part of the ear behind the eardrum, according to Healthline.

Mayo Clinic reports that the common cold usually causes acute sinusitis, with most cases resolving themselves in 10 days unless a bacterial infection happens.

You can gauge the severity of your sinus symptoms by taking this online quiz.