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Nasal Dysfunctions
Nasal congestion refers to the blockage of the nasal
passages. In response to various threats the internal
nasal tissues swell due to dilated blood vessels, the
mucous thickens and the ciliary movement on the mucous
membrane decreases lowering in turn the efficiency of
cleaning mechanism of the nasal mucosa. As a result,
respiration through the nose is obstructed and may
eventually lead to attenuation of its protective function
and the appearance of infection...
Sinusitis
Sinusitis is the inflammation of the paranasal sinuses.
The sinuses are air-filled spaces in the skull (behind the
forehead, nasal bones, cheeks, and eyes) that are lined
with mucus membranes. Healthy sinuses contain no bacteria
or other germs. Usually, mucus is able to drain out and
air is able to circulate. Sinusitis is most commonly
caused by a viral or bacterial infection or by an allergy
or autoimmune issues.
Sinusitis can occur from a number of conditions:
• Cilia in the sinuses, which help move mucus out, fail to
work properly,
• Viral, bacterial & fungal infections, allergies or other
autoimmune issues may cause too much mucus to be made or
block the opening of the sinuses,
• A deviated nasal septum, or nasal polyps may block the
opening of the sinuses.
• Chemical irritation can also trigger sinusitis e.g.
cigarette smoke, chlorine fumes. Rarely, it may be
caused
by a tooth infection.
Sinusitis may occur in any of the four groups of sinuses:
maxillary, ethmoid, frontal, or sphenoid. It nearly always
occurs in conjunction with inflammation of the nasal
passages (rhinitis) and some refer to the disorder as rhinosinusitis. Sinusitis can be
acute (going on less than
four weeks), subacute (4–8 weeks) or chronic (going on for
8 weeks or more). All three types of sinusitis have
similar symptoms, and are thus often difficult to
distinguish. Recurrent sinusitis is defined with several
acute attacks within a year.
The classic symptoms of acute sinusitis in adults usually
follow a cold that does not improve, or one that worsens
after 5 - 7 days of symptoms. Acute sinusitis usually
results in pain, tenderness, congestion and obstruction in
the nose, reduced ability to smell (hyposmia), bad breath
(halitosis), a productive cough (especially at night), and
swelling over the affected sinus. In acute sinusitis,
yellow or green pus may be discharged from the nose. Fever
and chills also can occur, but their presence may suggest
that the infection has spread beyond the sinuses. The
symptoms of chronic sinusitis are similar to those caused
by acute sinusitis. The most common symptoms of chronic
sinusitis are nasal obstruction, nasal congestion, and
postnasal drip. People with sinusitis may have colored
discharge and a decreased sense of smell. A person also
may feel generally ill.
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