Diseases of the paranasal sinuses

Pain in the paranasal sinuses can have various causes. Often these pains occur in connection with a cold, but they can also be present without a cold. Although the paranasal sinuses are connected to the nasal cavity, the opening is often clogged because the size of the opening is small compared to the size of the paranasal sinuses.

Especially in the case of colds, this leads to ventilation problems and bacterial infections. This can be quite painful and should be treated medically. This pain, which occurs in the so-called sinusitis, can be intensified by leaning the head forward.If there is no cold in the sinuses when there is pain, then it is usually due to a chronic inflammation.

This also blocks the openings in the nasal cavity and creates good conditions for bacterial infection. For this reason both forms should be treated. The aim of the therapy is to ventilate the paranasal sinuses again.

For this purpose, a decongestant nasal spray can be administered or the nose can be rinsed. In severe cases, cortisone can also be administered. If an already existing bacterial infection is suspected, antibiotics are used.

Sinusitis is usually understood to be the bacterial inflammation of the paranasal sinuses. Due to the mostly purulent inflammation, the mucous membranes swell, which causes the exits to become blocked and the purulent mucus can no longer drain off. The maxillary sinuses, which belong to the paranasal sinuses, are located in close proximity to the deep lying tooth components such as the root or the nerve of the upper jaw.

Because of this proximity, pathological processes that are located in the maxillary sinuses can easily be transferred to the teeth. This also applies to the pathological processes that take place in the teeth and can easily reach the maxillary sinuses. Therefore, sinusitis is often accompanied by throbbing or stabbing toothache.

The toothache is then often accompanied by typical signs of illness such as a blocked nose or sore throat. On the other hand, inflammation of the tooth root can also cause sinusitis. These usually last a very long time and do not include typical signs of illness.

If this is the case, a doctor must be consulted, as the focus of the inflammation must be eliminated. An inflammation of the sinuses can also be transmitted to the jaw via the temporomandibular joint. This causes pain when moving within the joint and possibly toothache due to inflammatory processes that spread.

For this reason, a doctor should be consulted to prevent further progression and to prevent more serious problems. The consumption of alcoholic beverages can lead to a runny or blocked nose. The causes of this are not fully understood.

However, the increased production of nasal secretions and swelling of the mucous membrane can lead to a ventilation problem in the paranasal sinuses. This increases the probability of occurrence of a sinusitis, which is usually accompanied by a feeling of pressure and pain. It can also lead to altered breathing, which further irritates the mucous membranes.

The popularly named nasal polyps are swollen, bilateral enlargements (hyperplasia) of the nasal mucosa or the mucosa of the paranasal sinuses. They are called polyps because the enlargement of the mucous membrane looks like a fungus on a tree trunk. The enlargement of the mucous membrane usually starts from the maxillary sinus or ethmoidal sinus and grows towards the middle nasal passage.

The nasal passages can be almost completely closed in the case of pronounced growth. The exits (ostia) of the paranasal sinuses located there can be affected by the nasal polyps and almost completely closed. The quality of life can be considerably reduced by polyps.