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The Anatomy of a Sinus: How the Sinuses Work

Sinuses are air pockets in the bones behind the face and jaw. There are four such chambers. The first two exist at or shortly after birth:
  • Maxillary sinus - behind the cheeks
  • Ethmoid sinus - between the eyes behind the bridge of the nose
The other two develop later:
  • Frontal sinus - Developed around the age of seven, these are located in the area of the forehead, over the brow.
  • Sphenoid sinus - Developed during adolescence, located behind the ethmoids and eyes, deep in the face.

The sinuses, which make the mucus that is intended to clean out trapped particles and bacteria, all lead to the nasal passages. They are linked by a mucous membrane. When the mucus is thin (under healthy circumstances), it is swept out by miniscule hairs along the sinuses called “cilia”, and draws bacteria and fungus out of the body through the nose.

Why do sinuses get infected?

When the sinus passages become narrow, swollen and/or constricted, the mucus collects, thickens, becomes very attractive to bacteria and fungus lurking in the environment, the flow doesn’t happen properly, and the problem mounts up.

Many things can contribute to the narrowing of the sinuses:

  • Consistent exposure to smoky, chemical and toxic environments, or even short-term exposure depending on the circumstances. A good example is working with harsh cleaning products in a room with no circulating air.
  • Stuffy noses from cold and flu
  • Allergic reactions - see our Sinusitis vs. Rhinitis page (Link)
  • Over-use of or dependency on decongestant sinus sprays.
  • Chronic medical conditions which require long-term medications.
  • Long-term water sports involvement, especially in chlorinated pools
  • Anatomical irregularities, broken bones or crushed cartilage in the nose, or previous rhinoplasty (nose reconstruction).

Some of these in turn can result in polyps forming in the nasal passages or sinuses. These are generally soft non-cancerous growths, but nevertheless bothersome.

Bad sinuses can also affect the ear tunnels, especially in children.




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