What is Sinus?
Human skull is made up of 25 bone bones. Few bones out of these, found towards the face are hollow. Air is filled in this hollow space. These hollow chambers are called sinus.
These chambers are found on the either side of the our nose. The fluid formed here reaches the nose through tiny pores called ostia. Sinusitis is caused when these tiny pores gets blocked and the secreations inside the sinus fill the empty space creating infection.
Sinus is basically classified into two.
- Those related to the back of the nose
- Those related to the nose front
Those related to nose front
- Maxillary sinus
- Frontial sinus
- Anterior ethmoid sinuses
Those related to the back of the nose
- Posterior ethmoid sinuses
- Sphenoid sinus
Maxillary Sinus
This is the biggest sinus. Located on either side of the nose beneath the cheek bones. Each of these can hold upto 15ml of secretion. This sinus is linked to the eyes and upper layer teeth. Infections caused to maxillary synus may spread to eyes and mouth. Maxillary sinus is formed during the birth and for that reason maxillary sinus defects are found even in infants.
Frontal Synus
This is located beneath the bones frontal bones of forehead. Normally there will be two frontal sinuses. These sinuses are located close to the eyes and brain. Frontal sinusitis leads to severe headache and eye pain. Frontal sinus are not found in infants. This assumes a complete growth by the age of 6.
Ethmoid Sinuses
Ethmoid sinusus are a group of 3 to 13 air filled chambers. Each group is located on either side of the nose. Ostia is located close to the ethnoid sinusus. So the infections caused to Ethnoid sinusus quickly affects other sinusus. Eyes optic nerves and brain are close to the ethmoid sinus.
Sphenoid Sinus
This is the most cnterior located sinus. Comparatively fewrw infections are found in sphinoid sinus. This is located near the brain, optic nerve, caratoid arteries and pituitery gland.
Duties Of Sinus
- Offer resonance to the sound
- Act as thermal insulator and thereby protects eyes and brain from atmospheric temperature and pressure variations.
- Decreases the skull weight.
- Purifies inspired air.
- Regulates the humidity factor of breathing air and helps maintain it at desired level.
