Sinusitis Flashcards
What is sinusitis?
Inflammation of the paranasal sinuses
What are paranasal sinuses
Air spaces that surround the nose
What cells release mucus in the nasal cavity?
Goblet cells
What are the 4 paranasal sinuses called?
Frontal
Ethmoidal
Sphenoidal
Maxillary
What do paranasal sinuses do?
Warm and moisten air, and also used for speaking
What is a meatus?
Drain mucus from the paranasal sinuses
What causes acute sinusitis?
Usually a virus, like rhinovirus, parainfluenza virus and influenza virus
Could also be bacterial such as streptococcus pneumoniae or haemophilia influenza
or blockage of sinuses in deviated septum
What occurs when the pathogen enters?
Inflammatory response, goblet cells secrete mucus, immune system fight off pathogen causing pus (mixture of pathogen, immune cells and dead tissue)
Subacute or chronic sinusitis causes?
environmental allergies like dust, pollution, pollen in immune
What is chronic hyper plastic sinusitis?
Connective tissue hyperplasia where proliferates faster than normal which can cause nasal polyps
Symptoms of sinusitis?
Mucus build up causing facial pain, pressure and head ache, fever, changes in voice and sense of smell, coughing
Sinusitis diagnosis?
Based on symptoms, if chronic then CT or rhinoscopy
Sinusitis treatment?
Supportive, if bacterial then antibiotics and decongestions, allergy or polyps then steroids and allergy medication, if chronic then surgery
