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Science has not yet identified the reason why the human skull has sinuses or hollow cavities. It is also not easy to identify what purpose these structures serve for humans. What is clear though is that these hollow cavities are meant to be empty and when these are blocked, a host of uncomfortable symptoms may ensue. This condition is called sinus blockage. To understand how sinus blockage happens, one has to understand the anatomy of the sinuses. The Sinuses Within the human skull are four pairs of sinuses. Regardless of the location, these sinuses are lined with mucosal tissue that has a lawn of cilia – tiny hair-like projections that trap microorganisms and foreign materials inside the nasal passages and the sinuses. Cilia also moderate the proper flow of mucus inside these structures. Since not all foreign bodies and debris are trapped, isolated and expelled from the sinuses and nasal passages, some of these can lodge inside the nose and cause infection and inflammation. When either of these happens, proper mucus drainage slows down, ultimately causing complete obstruction. To make matters worse, mucus drainage is possible only when the ostium, a tiny hole within the human skull which serves as a drain, is free of any obstruction. With inflammation and swelling on top of the causative agent (e.g. bacteria, virus, mold, fungi, allergen, or chemical irritants), the normal functioning of the cilia becomes impaired. The mucus and materials that are trapped inside the sinuses will build up eventually and cause pressure to their neighboring structures. Relief from Sinus Blockage There is help, though. If you are suffering from sinus blockage, there are a couple of things that can rescue you from the symptoms affecting your body. For any mild case of sinus blockage, a combination of self-care therapies, lifestyle modifications, alternative therapies and rounds of medications may be elected by your physician to reduce the blockage of the sinuses. Consult your doctor to get the best recommendation that will fit your needs. If the sinus blockage occurred in an area that can be reached manually, an opening may be made through surgery to facilitate better mucus drainage. The immediate effect will be relief from symptoms. Surgery is the last resort for severe cases of sinus blockage. Combined with comprehensive post-operative care, this procedure can help you get lasting relief from symptoms of sinus blockage. If the cocktail of microbes, foreign bodies and materials, and thickened mucus fail to drain for a prolonged period, abscesses may form. In which case, surgery may again be elected to remove the formations inside the nose and sinuses. The same holds true if you have been diagnosed with nasal polyp, another form of nasal obstruction. When there is complete blockage of the sinuses, which by the way are very hard-to-reach areas of the skull, you may ask your physician for a combination of medications that will decongest the mucus buildup within your sinuses, eliminate the causative agent (antibiotic for bacteria, antihistamine for allergens, and antifungal medications for fungi), and restore the health of your sinuses and nasal passages. When complete sinus blockage occurred due to structural and anatomical abnormalities such as deviated nasal septum, corrective surgery may be called to resolve the problem. For more information, please visit http://www.sinusdynamics.com
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