Sinus Support Remedy
Sinuses are cavities (pockets) found in the cranial (head) bones. Sinuses are also referred to as "paranasal sinuses". We have four paired sinus cavities. Each sinus cavity has an opening (ostium), which opens into the nasal passages for free exchange of air and mucus.
- Frontal Sinuses - above your eyes, just behind the forehead.
- Maxillary Sinus - to the side of the nose and below the eye, just above the upper teeth, below the eyes and in back of the nose at the top of the throat.
- Ethmoid Sinus - between the eyes (actually within the spongy ethmoid bone).
- Sphenoid Sinus - Way back in the head, far behind the eyes, above the throat (in back of the nasal cavity). This sinus is just forward of the brain case, making complications here quite serious.
Sinuses are often our first line of defense which explains why they are the first to get infected. They lighten the weight of the skull and this is the reason why your head feels heavy and you feel tired and sleepy during a sinus attack. They give resonance to your voice (hold your nose and speak). They also filter and moisten the air that we breathe. They remove unwanted air particles. The mucus linings have ciliated epithelium (cells with fines hairs) that moves dirty mucus from the sinus cavities to drain into the nasal passages.
Fun Facts
- Your sinus is not in your nose, they are air filled spaces in your skull.
- The nasal passageway functions as a self-cleaning air conditioner. By the time the air we breathe gets to our lungs the nose has filtered, humidified and warmed.
Health Conditions
- Rhinitis describes irritation and inflammation of the mucus membranes inside the nose.
- Sinusitis refers to inflammation of the sinus passages, generally caused by a fungal (pollen is as much as 80% fungal), bacterial or viral germs.
- Nasal polyps are pearly gray, non-cancerous growths that are usually found on the lining of your nasal passages or sinuses cavities. They usually grow from damaged mucus membranes.
Suggestions To Strengthen
- Drink plenty of water. The sinuses are filled with mucus membranes that must remain naturally moist in order to be healthy.
- Rinse your nasal passages. Try using a Neti Pot to cleanse your sinuses. If you have chronic sinusitis, avoid chlorinated water as this could further inflame the tissues. (The shower is a great place to do this. You can snort up water and spit it out, and there's no mess!) Avoid hot or cold water - warm water is best.
- If you have a sinus issue, the deeper underlying cause is almost always a problem with the Large Intestine.