Sinuses are air-filled pockets behind the facial bones surrounding the nose. Each sinus has an opening through which mucus drains. This drainage keeps your sinuses working well and you healthy. Anything that obstructs that flow may cause a buildup of mucus in the sinuses, which may lead to infection and inflammation of the sinuses.
Sinusitis occurs when the linings of your nose, sinuses and throat become inflamed, possibly from a pre-existing cold or allergies. Chronic sinusitis is when this inflammation lasts three months or more.
Common symptoms include:
• Facial pain, pressure, congestion or fullness
• Difficulty breathing through the nose
• Discharge of yellow or green mucus from the nose
• Teeth pain
• Loss of the sense of smell or taste
• Sore throat
• Bad breath
Types of Sinusitis
Depending on the duration of the symptoms, it can be classified into one of several types:
- Acute (less than four weeks)
- Subacute (four-12 weeks)
- Chronic (more than 12 weeks)
- Recurrent Acute Rhinosinusitis (four or more episodes of acute sinusitis per year
A Look into the Sinuses
The sinuses are hollow spaces in the skull (i.e. the frontal, ethmoid, sphenoid and maxillary) which serve to lighten the skull and give resonance to the voice. The purpose of the sinuses, which open into the nasal cavity, is to generate mucus to keep the nose from drying out during breathing and to trap unwanted materials so that they do not reach the lungs.
Each sinus has an opening that allows mucus to drain – this drainage is essential to keeping your sinuses working well and you healthy. Anything that obstructs that flow may cause a buildup of mucus and lead to a sinus infection.
Sinusitis treatment includes medical and natural therapy, as well as sinus surgery. An Ear, Nose and Throat doctor (ENT doctor) can diagnose acute or chronic sinusitis and determine the best treatment plan. At least 20 percent of chronic sinusitis patients are not successfully treated with medical therapy. When medical management methods are not enough to relieve patients’ symptoms, sinus surgery may be recommended.