Sinus Attack!

Pain in the forehead or between the eyes? Upper teeth ache? Face feeling full, nose stuffy and congested? The number one reason for visits to a doctor's office: sinus problems and sinus-related symptoms.

Sinuses: Air Spaces in Your Head

Sinuses are air spaces in your skull lined with mucous membranes. You have four sets of nasal sinuses:

• two frontal sinuses in the forehead above the eyes
• two maxillary sinuses, one inside each cheek bone (dark triangles seen in this CAT scan)
• ethmoid sinuses: a beehive of 18 to 22 cavities behind the bridge of the nose (also shown here)
• sphenoid sinuses, behind the nose and underneath the brain

Sinuses are like fingerprints; everybody's are different.

What Is Sinusitis?

Tiny, hair-like structures called cilia (magnified here) help move mucus across sinus membranes and toward an exit. All of your sinus cavities connect to your nose to allow a free exchange of air and mucus. Infections or allergies make sinus tissues inflamed, red, and swollen. That's called sinusitis.

Just a Cold � at First

Sinusitis usually starts with inflammation triggered by a cold, allergy attack, or irritant. But it may not end there. Colds, allergies, and irritants make sinus tissues swell.