There are more people in the world who think that they don’t like the shape of their nose than those who think whether it is possible to make them breathe better. Of course, everyone knows about everyday care, treatment for diseases, etc. But how many of us think about what the nasal cavity is?
Airway anatomy
Lung tissue is a fairly delicate structure. That is why the air, before making its way to them, must be cleaned of dust and some microbes, moistened and warmed. This state of his is achieved with the help of a complex breathing apparatus having a complex structure.
Before reaching the lungs, air passes through the trachea, above the larynx and nasopharynx, as well as the upper part - the cavity where it enters immediately after inhalation. It is here that its primary processing takes place.
Nasal structure
Few people think about this, but breathing provides us with a very perfect and complex organ. Perhaps that is why any, even minor problems instantly affect well-being. Conventionally, this body can be divided into two large parts:
- outer nose;
- nasal cavity;
- sinuses.
The part that everyone sees, just looking at his face in the mirror, is formed by small bones and cartilage. Finally, its shape is formed around the 15th year of life.
The structure of the nasal cavity is so complicated due to the fact that it is here that the temperature of the inhaled air is regulated and purified. The vestibule is lined with flat epithelium, there are small hairs that trap particles of dust and germs. Three curved bone plates protrude into the cavity, which form the so-called shells. Some of their areas are lined with sensitive cells, due to which a person has a sense of smell. The sinuses - maxillary, frontal, main and ethmoid, have access through narrow passages. What do they consist of and why are they needed?
Paranasal nasal cavity
It would seem, why complicate things? Let the air just pass into the lungs, let its path be short and simple. But evolutionary development has decreed otherwise, and man has more than a nose. The nasal cavity has four additional sinuses.
- Maxillary, or maxillary. This sinus is the most voluminous - up to 30 cubic centimeters. In shape, it resembles a tetrahedron. This cavity communicates with the main (main) through the passage in the common wall. In the projection to the front of the face, these sinuses are located on the sides of the nose immediately under the eyes.
- Frontal. This sinus, on the contrary, is very small - only 3-5 cubic centimeters. It is located in the frontal bone and also communicates with the nose through a narrow passage.
- Trellised. These sinuses are made up of separate bone cells, which is why they are sometimes called the labyrinth. These cavities are located in a rather inaccessible place and border on the inside of the orbit and the brain.
- The main (main). This part is the least studied, since it is located deep in the skull next to the most important organs - the carotid artery, brain, venous sinus, trigeminal and optic nerves, etc.
Like the nose itself, the nasal cavity and sinus are lined with epithelium and mucous membrane. This allows not only warming, but also moisturizing the air entering here.
Functions
Both the nose as a whole and its individual parts solve a lot of important tasks. Firstly, as already mentioned, the hairs on the threshold of holding up dust. Secondly, air passing through the sinuous nasal passages leaves some bacteria on the mucosa. Thirdly, its intense friction raises its temperature, and contact with the cells of the internal part of the sinuses - also humidity. In addition, all cavities play the role of a resonator and participate in the formation of the voice, giving it an individual timbre.
Diseases
Despite everything, the nasal cavity, the anatomy and purpose of which is directly related to contact with pathogenic bacteria, sometimes inflames itself. As a rule, this turns into rhinitis, that is, a runny nose. At the same time, breathing through the nose is difficult, there is swelling, decreased olfactory function, and mucus. This condition is familiar to everyone. In addition to the fact that a person is forced to breathe through his mouth, that is, deliver air to the lungs that are not properly treated, there may be a lack of oxygen, that is, slight hypoxia. It is expressed in headache, poor performance, fatigue. Well, if we are talking about children, then breathing through the mouth also leads to improper formation of the facial skeleton, which can cause problems with teeth and chest development, as well as hearing and memory disorders.
It is worth considering: despite the fact that inflammation of the nasal cavity, that is, rhinitis or runny nose, seems like a nonsense disease, not worthy of close medical attention, if left untreated, serious complications can result from such neglect.
Symptoms and treatment of sinus inflammation
Yes, a badly cured runny nose or flu can turn into much more serious diseases, such as sinusitis. Inflammation of the sinuses can be serous, that is, they simply form edema inside them, or purulent. In the second case, the symptoms will be more acute.
There are sinusitis (inflammation of the maxillary sinus), frontal sinusitis (frontal), ethmoiditis (ethmoid) and sphenoiditis (primary). They can be involved in the disease, either individually or in pairs, as well as all together.
The main symptoms are a headache, as well as a feeling of pressure at the location of the sinuses. Often there is an increase in temperature, all this is accompanied by shortness of breath, fatigue, and sometimes even lacrimation and photophobia. In the chronic course of the disease, the symptoms may be less acute, sometimes only a loss of performance and a headache are felt.
Before the appointment of treatment, a diagnosis is carried out, which includes an external examination and radiography. After this, the patient can be hospitalized, and in not very serious cases, he can be treated at home with the drugs prescribed by the doctor. Typically, their list includes antibiotics. Ignoring sinusitis can lead to even more serious consequences - inflammation of the meninges.
Care
From an early age it is necessary to get used to the fact that the nose and nasal cavity need regular hygiene. The external respiratory passages must be cleaned of waste products, if necessary, they must also be moistened. The same applies to periods of rhinitis: mucus should be pumped out efficiently and carefully so that its particles do not fall into the passages connecting the nose to the ear.
As a rule, doctors talk about a large role in the prevention of sinusitis of such a simple measure as sanitation or rinsing of the nasal cavity. This is not the most pleasant procedure, however, it helps to get rid of pathogenic bacteria that have settled on the mucosa.