Anatomical Causes of a Sinus Infection
Sinusitis is a prolonged inflammation of the sinus cavities brought on by a cold, allergy attack or bacterial infection. The causes of sinusitis may be categorized in different ways. Some of the more significant causes of a sinus infection are anatomical.
Deviated Septum
The anatomy of the sinus cavities varies tremendously from person to person. In some individuals, anatomical differences may affect breathing and block nasal drainage. One of the common anatomical causes of sinusitis is a deviated septum. Some people have some degree of deviation, or crookedness, in the nasal cartilage called the septum. For a few, deviation is severe enough to affect breathing and block nasal drainage. Blocked drainage pathways can affect normal clearing of the sinuses, which can lead to sinus infection. A deviated septum can be straightened with an operation called a septoplasty.
Problems in the Turbinates
The turbinates are three small bony projections inside the nose. If swollen, they can also cause nasal blockage. The turbinates serve a useful function by providing increased surface area to warm and humidify air that passes through the nasal passages. But a sinus infection or allergies can cause them to swell and interfere with nasal drainage. Another anatomical cause of sinusitis is a concha bullosa (CB) is a common anatomical variation that occurs when an air pocket forms in the middle turbinate. On a CT scan, a concha bullosa looks almost like a small balloon with a thin, bony lining. If you develop this condition, you may be symptom-free, or you may have facial pain and pressure and nasal blockage. A concha bullosa is easily corrected with endoscopic sinus surgery.
Polyps/Tumors
Nasal polyps are smooth, pear-shaped outgrowths of nasal mucosa that are gelatin-like, semi-translucent, and pale or white in color. They can be found in any of the sinuses or nasal cavity. They are one of the most common group mass lesions of the nasal cavity, and occur more often in middle-aged men. There seems to be some relationship between polyps and immune response to various types of fungus. Symptoms of nasal polyps include nasal congestion, loss of smell and/or taste, sneezing, postnasal drip, facial pain and itchy eyes. Polyps can also cause a sinus infection.
Sinus and nasal tumors can also block critical drainage pathways and possibly lead to sinusitis. When tumors or growths occur near the sinus openings (ostia), the sinuses can become obstructed. When the ostia become obstructed, the normal flow of air into the sinuses and mucus drainage out of the sinuses is impeded. The reduced flow of air and mucus allows mucus to back up in the sinus and become stagnant, which in turn contributes to the growth of bacteria and infection. Once a bacterial infection is present, it causes inflammation and swelling, which leads to increased mucus production. Additional swelling intensifies the already-restricted flow of air and mucus, and contributes to even more bacterial growth. The cycle continues and ultimately leads to sinusitis.
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Chronic sinusitis is infection and/or inflammation of the sinuses that persists longer than three weeks. Chronic sinusitis is usually caused either by allergies or by infection.
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