SINUSITIS

Wow. I think I haven't been blogging for months. Sorry about that. I didn't forget or anything. I always tell myself whenever I learn or read about something new I would go back to my room and blog. But nowadays life here in Melaka is too busy and I have other extra curricular things to do too :P

Now I'm in ENT posting (Ear Nose & Throat). This field is quite fun. And I think it is a bit relaxing. I've always wanted to let people know a bit more about this normal disease that people often talk about, which is called SINUSITIS.

Sinusitis is different from normal cold or flu that we often come across. So not all flu and cold that we get is known as sinusitis. And if your doctor diagnose you with sinusitis you will have to come for regular check up since it is a little bit more serious than normal cold.

Sinus are air filled cavities in your skull. There are 4 in numbers on each side and are named. These spaces are normally empty only to be filled by air. These sinuses help to maintain our head light and provide resonance to our voice.

Sinusitis is the inflammation of the sinus lining on the inside, we call mucosa. This inflammation may be caused by nasal discharge or phlegm that enters these sinus cavities. And as we know, these phlegm has microorganism like bacteria or virus. So when these microorganism enter the sinus they may cause damage in the sinus. And the patient complains of heaviness in the face, facial pain together with profuse nasal discharge which is thick, and also there may be fever, headache, bodyache, etc.

The facial pain may be occuring at different sites depending on which sinus cavity is infected. Sometimes they maybe only at the forehead close to the eyebrow, or maybe in between the eyes, or sometimes on the upper jaw or gums and teeth.

It is very important to try to keep your sinus clear of phlegm whenever you get cold or flu. Someone told me once that you need to keep your head upside down for few minutes. This enables the sinus to be emptied since we are helping the phlegm to drain out. That is just my theory behind it. :)