Sinusitis

Overview :

The sinuses are paired air pockets located within the bones of the face. They are:

• the frontal sinuses; located above the eyes, in the center region of each eyebrow
• the maxillary sinuses; located within the cheekbones, just to either side of the nose
• the ethmoid sinuses; located between the eyes, just behind the bridge of the nose.
• the sphenoid sinuses; Located just behind the ethmoid sinuses, and behind the eyes.

The sinuses are connected with the nose. They are lined with the same kind of skin found elsewhere within the respiratory tract. This skin has tiny little hairs projecting from it, called cilia. The cilia beat constantly, to help move the mucus produced in the sinuses into the respiratory tract. The beating cilia sweeping the mucus along the respiratory tract helps to clear the respiratory tract of any debris, or any organisms which may be present. When the lining of the sinuses is at all swollen, the swelling interferes with the normal flow of mucus. Trapped mucus can then fill the sinuses, causing an uncomfortable sensation of pressure and providing an excellent environment for the growth of infection-causing bacteria.