You’ve probably heard the words “sinus congestion” and “sinus infection” thrown around your whole life but you’ve never really asked, “what are the sinuses anyway?”
While the sinuses show their congestion and irritation through a stuffy nose, itchy throat, and watery eyes, you may be surprised to find that they aren’t located inside the nose. While sinus symptoms are most often present in the nose, they are located in a much more general area.
The sinuses are hollow spaces in the skull and around your nose. They aren’t located inside your nose, but rather they lie in pockets around it.
There are four pairs of sinuses, and they are:
- The maxillary sinuses: These are located on either side of your nose, close to the cheekbones.
- The frontal sinuses: These sinuses are above the eyes, on your forehead.
- The ethmoid sinuses: These are located on each side of the bridge of your nose, near the inner corners of your eyes.
- The sphenoid sinuses: These are located back behind the eyes, deeper into your skull.
The word “sinus” is Latin in origin, meaning a bay, a curve, or a hollow cavity.
The purpose of these pockets of space beneath your skin is to help facilitate the passage of air. The sinuses produce mucus that coats and lubricates the inside of your nasal passages. They are also covered in small hairs, called cilia, that help move the air and filter out any toxins. The sinuses are essential to your immune system.
Because the sinuses are so involved in the breathing process, they bear the brunt of the damage done by air pollutants, such as pollen. When plants release their pollen into the air, the sinuses can often become irritated if there’s an allergy or a high amount in the air.
Irritated or inflamed sinuses are often swollen, and a more serious case of infected sinuses is called sinusitis. Sinusitis treatment is done through the manual clearing of the sinuses by a saline solution. This is called balloon sinuplasty, and it’s done by a sinus doctor.
If you’re in need of a sinus specialist near Los Angeles, look no further than our office. Make an appointment today!
