Infections and allergies may affect the condition of sinuses. Sinuses are usually cavities within the skull. The cavities are situated above the eyes and they connect the nasal cavities. The surfaces of sinuses are characterized by the presence of cilia. The microscopic hairs serve the purpose of cleaning the cavities. In addition, the cilia facilitate the movement of mucus within this space.

When the health and conditions of the sinuses is compromised by the presence of disease causing pathogens, the result may be devastating. Infections and irritations of the lining may lead to poor drainage of these cavities and hence mucus clogs the sinuses. As a result of this, the sinuses swell.

The swelling of the sinuses is caused by different agents. For some, it may be an allergic reaction. For others it may be caused by bacteria or viruses. Irritants are also causes of inflammation of sinuses. The causative agent may determine whether sinusitis is acute or chronic.

Sinusitis affects the different sinus cavities in different ways. The types of cavities include the frontal sinus, the ethmoid sinus, sphenoid and maxillary sinuses. Each of these sinus cavities occur in pairs which are located on the sides of the nose. Infections to these sinuses are different and their symptoms may vary from one infection to another. Read the rest of this entry »