Maybe you celebrated with a few alcoholic beverages, or the weather could be changing where you live. Both options could be blamed for increased sinus issues after St. Patrick's Day.

"This goes back to kind of the relationship between inflammation, allergies, and the nose,” Dr. Brian Lee of the Scottsdale Sinus and Allergy Center said.

“A lot of patients with chronic sinusitis also have allergies. A lot of these allergy patients also have asthma,” Lee said. “When the sinuses get worse, and they start to get more drainage of postnasal drip, a lot of that can drip back into their chest and aggravate their asthma.”

A 2021 study published by BioMed Central Pulmonary Medicine found that there was a connection between gastroesophageal reflux disease and nasal disturbances, and an even stronger link for those who suffer from non-allergic rhinitis and sinusitis than for those who have allergic rhinitis. 

Research by Science Direct into alcohol-induced upper airway symptoms found that there are—albeit slight—associations with consumption of certain alcohols and allergic rhinitis. 

Sinus issues could also be blamed on the change of seasons, with spring allergy season typically beginning in February. However, St. Patrick's Day falls on March 17, which for many areas is approximately the time that true spring is just starting, the American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology said in a website news release.

Patients suffering from sinus issues are encouraged to take an online symptom self-assessment quiz to determine how bad their symptoms are and how much they are affecting their quality of life.