East Little Rock Times

As the 2018 Winter Olympics skeleton competition got under way, defending gold medalist Lizzy Yarnold found herself not only battling the field in PyeongChang, but also a sinus infection that nearly forced her from the competition.

During the start of the skeleton competition, Yarnold was dealing breathing issues that were initially believed to have been caused by the climate, which was colder than the British athlete was used to, according to The Sun. The report also noted that her symptoms were exasperated by a vestibular disorder that affected her inner ear. Patients like Yarnold who are dealing with sinus infections and inner ear issues can select from treatment options, according to Dr. Manish Khanna of Capitol Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers.

“A proper functioning eustachian tube can help prevent that build up and allow things to drain properly,” he said in a statement.

As the skeleton competition kicked off, Yarnold was hampered by the symptoms of the sinus infection, according to her Wikipedia page, and found herself in third place and on the cusp of falling out of the race for a medal. Yarnold turned to home remedies for some relief after she started to have trouble talking and breathing, according to Wikipedia, and those efforts had little success. Ultimately, she was able to control the symptoms, compete and take home a gold medal.

In 2018, Yarnold was marking eight years of professional competition, capping it off with her second Olympic gold medal in skeleton, according to the Wikipedia page, after taking gold in skeleton during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

Most bacterial infections clear up within 10 days and are typically caused by a common cold, the Mayo Clinic noted on its website. You should see a sinus inflammation specialist when things do not clear up after that long, things get worse or you have a history of recurrent or chronic sinusitis and inflammation of sinus.

According to NHS Inform, the issues are caused by a bacterial infection, but in some rare cases it can be driven by a viral infection. The website also noted that they are frequently treated with home remedies and medication.