Anatomy of the maxillary sinus
The maxillary sinus (lat. Sinus maxillaris) is counted among the paranasal sinuses and is located within the bony upper jaw (lat. Maxilla).
In humans, it is closely connected to the middle nasal passage, so pathogens can easily pass from the nasal cavity into the maxillary sinus, multiply there and cause infections. The narrower the flow paths of the secretion, the higher the probability of occurrence of an inflammation of the paranasal sinuses. In summary, all inflammations in the area of the paranasal sinuses are called sinusitis.
In the special case of infection of the maxillary sinus, the resulting disease is called sinusitis maxillaris. Sinusitis is an inflammation of the mucous membrane in the area of the paranasal sinuses caused by the harmful effects of bacteria and viruses. Basically, a distinction is made between an acute and a chronic form of this inflammatory disease.
An acute, sudden and one-time occurrence of sinusitis often occurs in the course of a cold or other cold infection. The penetration of the pathogens (bacteria or viruses) can cause swelling of the mucous membranes within the sinuses. These swellings constrict the natural flow of secretions and thus trigger inflammatory processes.
In extremely rare cases, the sphenoid sinus can also be affected, but this is a rather rare form of sinusitis. An acute sinusitis is usually accompanied by high fever, a feeling of pressure in the head area, headache and general malaise. In most cases, the entry point of the pathogens is the nasal mucosa, the acute forms of sinusitis are transmitted by a droplet infection.
Sinusitis can potentially be caused by both viruses and bacterial pathogens. In general, however, it can be assumed that bacteria of the mouth, nose and throat are the cause in the majority of affected patients. The classic pathogens of sinusitis are usually spread via a so-called droplet infection.
This means that a sinus infection via the air (aerosol or droplet nuclei) or droplet formation when speaking can lead to infection. Many patients mistakenly assume that inflammatory processes in the maxillary sinus are not contagious and therefore do not take special precautions. However, this assumption is a fatal misconception. Sinusitis can be contagious, since its bacterial pathogens can be released into the air when sneezing or coughing. In addition, it should be noted that these germs can adhere to door handles and other surfaces in the absence of hand disinfection and that sinusitis can therefore also be contagious through contact infection (indirect contact infection).
