Sinus infections are also called sinusitis. It is an infection and inflammation of the sinuses and nasal passages. The sinuses are covered with a mucus layer and cells which contain little hairs on their surfaces. These hairs help to prevent the entry of bacteria, viruses, allergens and pollutants from the environment.

If the normal defence system fails the hairs may allow bacteria or viruses present in the nasal passage to enter inside the sinuses. Once entered the micro organism stick to the lining cells and cause an infection. This is the sinus infection.

The symptoms of sinus infection are headache or pressure in the eyes, nose, cheek or on one side of the head. The other common symptoms include: cough, fever, bad breath and nasal congestion with thick nasal secretions. There is acute and chronic sinus infection and the common one is the long term, chronic infection.

Acute sinus infection normally lasts less than eight weeks and does not occur more than three times in a year. Each episode can last less than ten days.

Chronic sinus infection lasts longer than eight weeks and occurs more than four times in a year. Here each episode lasts more than 20 days

What is the purpose of having sinuses in out body apart from preventing the entry of bacteria, viruses and other pollutants? There are four hollow air-filled-cavities in the human skull and these cavities are called sinuses. They are frontal (in the forehead), maxillary (behind the cheek bones), ethmoid (between the eyes) and sphenoid (behind the eyes) sinuses. They help to insulate the skull, reduce its weight and allow the voice to resonate within it.

To be continued...