| SINUSITIS AS ALLERGIC DISEASE IN CHILDREN
Sinuses are large hollow spaces containing air found in the bones of the face. They are covered with a hairy lining that secretes mucus which drains through natural openings into the nasal cavities. The sinuses above the eyes are called frontal sinuses. Those under the eyes are maxillary sinuses. The ethmoidal sinuses are above the nose cavities, and the sphenoidal sinuses are deep inside the skull. Their function is to warm and moisten the air that one breathes, to lessen the weight of the bones of the skull, and to contribute to voice resonance. Sinuses continue to develop until puberty.
When the opening between a sinus and the nasal cavities becomes blocked, the air in the sinus is absorbed into the blood. Lack of air creates a vacuum in the cavity, causing severe pain that normally develops in mid-morning and eases toward evening. The pain becomes worse when the child bends over, shakes his head, or presses his eyes.
Allergies or a bacterial inflammation may block the natural openings of the sinuses. An upper respiratory infection, a tooth abscess draining into the sinus cavity, a deviated septum, polyps, or enlarged adenoids can all cause bacterial inflammation and blockage.
Sinus blockage is encouraged by polluted city air, vitamin deficiencies, hypothyroidism, chlorine irritation, and travel in pressurized airplanes.
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