Gateway Reporter

• After sinus surgery, Professional golfer Bryson DeChambeau found that his dizziness went away, his thoughts were clearer, he could speak better and his energy levels were higher.
• DeChambeau began experiencing dizzy spells at the 2020 Masters Tournament and tried to figure out why for almost two years.
• After meeting with an ENT specialist, DeChambeau learned that his vertigo was caused by a blocked nasal passage that was impacting his nitric oxide levels.

Professional golfer Bryson DeChambeau tried to determine what was causing him to experience vertigo for almost two years, and it wasn't until he saw an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist that he found the source of the problem: a blocked nasal passage caused by a chronic sinus infection. 

After undergoing sinus surgery in Dallas last Nocember to remove the blockage, DeChambeau found that not only had his dizzy spells gone away, but multiple other aspects of his health improved as well. 

Local doctor, Manish Khanna, of Capitol Breathe Free said the side effects of sinusitis can lead to lower energy levels and feelings of depression.

"When patients are experiencing any sinusitis, the pain aspect of things and, probably more so the fatigue, you know just feeling energy levels are just low,” Khanna said. “I think that's definitely the fuel to add to that depression cycle, where your energy levels are down. You just don't feel like doing anything, you just get into this malaise, because fatigue is a very common symptom of chronic and acute sinusitis. It definitely affects your energy levels, which certainly can exacerbate people who have depression or can kind of lead down that road, to a milder depression, if this is untreated."

DeChambeau began experiencing dizzy spells at the Masters Tournament in November 2020, and after almost two years of trying to figure out the cause, DeChambeau underwent a full-body scan, LIV Golf reported. The scan found a cyst in DeChambeau's left maxillary sinus, so he met with an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist.

“In the first minute of looking at it, he says, ‘Yeah, you’ve got like four or five problems,” DeChambeau said of his meeting with the specialist. “You should’ve been in surgery yesterday.' It wasn’t an emergency, but a big problem.”

The doctor explained that the cyst was limiting airflow in DeChambeau's nasal passage, which meant he wasn't getting enough oxygen. His low nitric oxide levels were what caused his dizzy spells.

DeChambeau underwent sinus surgery to remove the cyst and improve his nasal passages. For three or four days after the surgery, He had to breathe through his mouth to avoid straining his nose, which he said led to an uncomfortable sore throat. However, after those few days had passed, DeChambeau said he could breathe properly for the first time in years, and other aspects of his health improved, as well.

“To get that fixed, it’s been the greatest decision of my life,” DeChambeau said. “My energy level is so much better. My clarity of thought is way better. My speech is a lot more fluent and I’m not stopping as much or pitching as much like I used to last year and before. I feel like I’m back to 2018 me.”

At the beginning of 2018, DeChambeau was ranked 99th in the world, but a series of wins led to him finishing out the year ranked fifth.

The inflammation that comes along with chronic sinusitis can cause difficulty concentrating, as well as depression, according to UW Madison.

Chronic sinusitis sufferers might also experience lower energy levels, facial pain and pressure, decreased senses of taste and smell, coughing, congestion, and nasal discharge, according to Cleveland Clinic.

If you believe you may be suffering from chronic sinusitis, you can take this quiz.