Understanding, Preventing and Treating Diseases of the Sinus Cavities

The sinuses are a group of air-filled cavities present in the skull. There is no well-defined role for these structures at present but they are considered to reduce the weight of the skull, to serve as cushion for facial trauma, to insulate adjacent organs, to improve and characterize voice quality, and to humidify air coming into the nose.

The sinuses exhibit a close connection with the nose, demonstrated by their similar mucosal lining and by small openings found within the complex. Therefore, the problem of the nose becomes the problem of the sinus cavities and vice versa.  

A common problem of this area is known as rhinosinusitis. Rhinosinusitis is defined as the inflammation of the nasal passages and its contiguous sinus cavities. Two types are present, namely, the non-infectious and the infectious. Exposure to house-dust mite, pollen, smoke, and pollutants, physiologic and hormonal changes, and age-related causes may lead to the development of non-infectious rhinosinusitis. On the other hand, infectious organisms like viruses, bacteria, and fungi give rise to the infectious type. Although specific risk factors can be identified for each type, they are not limited for each group. That is, an allergy may intensify an existing infectious type of rhinosinusitis and vice versa.

Rhinosinusitis can also be classified based on the duration of symptoms. It can be acute, chronic, or recurrent. When acute rhinosinusitis is left untreated, it can become chronic or recurrent. These long standing problems of the nose and sinuses may extend to adjacent organs like the eye and brain which can be dangerous or even deadly.  For these reasons, it is important to take care of the nose and its surrounding draining sinuses.

It is always wise to prevent or to catch the disease at its early stage and treat it. You can follow some useful tips below.

•   Never ignore a watery nasal discharge with associated nasal stuffiness, itching, and sneezing. It is most likely a hypersensitivity response of your body to substances that gives you an allergy.

• Allergy results into swelling of the sino-nasal mucosal lining. This leads to significant obstruction, retention of mucus, and further inflammation.


• Ask your family physician or your ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist about medications for your allergy.

•    Begin a healthy lifestyle.

• By avoiding alcohol and smoke, you prevent swelling of the mucosal lining of your nasal passages and sinuses.


• Drink water a lot. Water makes the mucus produced by the sinuses more fluid.


• Include fruits, vegetables, and vitamins to your diet to make your body more resistant to infection.

•    Practice good hygiene.

• Perform nasal douching with saline solution at home. This removes retained or thick mucus, preventing bacterial overgrowth and subsequent disease.


• Wash your hands frequently. This reduces the chance of transmitting infection to your nose and sinuses.

•    See a doctor at least once a year.

• Flu vaccine may help you prevent acquisition of colds and flu which can lead to rhinosinusitis.


• Consult right away if you are having nasal problems. Immediate treatment of nasal symptoms can stop further disease.


• Do not disregard chronic and recurrent symptoms. See an ENT specialist who can identify an underlying medically or surgically correctable disease.