SINUS

Whether or not you complain about sinuses, you have them. Sinuses are part of the nasal air and membrane system that produces mucus. The nose, along with sinuses, produces mucus that goes into the nose to wash the membranes and collect dust, bacteria and other air pollutants. The mucus then flows into the throat where it is swallowed into the stomach where stomach acid destroys any hazardous bacteria.
Pollution, smoke, viral infections, like a cold or allergies, can all aggravate the nose and sinus membranes causing them to produce an abundance of mucus; this large quantity of mucus is to wash away the irritation or allergy. This watery, clear mucus that is produced is the most common form of post-nasal drip. Another form of post-nasal drip occurs when the air is overly dry. The nose and sinuses produce a thick and sticky mucus, because the membranes cannot produce enough moisture to create an easy flowing mucus. Bacterial infections also create a thick and sticky mucus that contains pus, causing it to turn yellow or green.

People who suffer from sinus headaches have headaches in the face, cheeks, forehead or around the eyes during a cold or when congested. Another form of sinus headache occurs during descent or landing, especially if you have a cold or an active allergy.

Sinusitis is an infection or inflammation of the sinuses. In a case of acute sinusitis, it begins with a cold, flu or allergy attack that causes swelling of the nasal membranes and an increase in the production of watery mucus. The membranes can become so swollen that the openings in the sinuses become blocked creating pressure and mucus build up in them. This pressure and build-up creates a pain in the face or forehead, between and behind the eyes or in the cheeks and upper teeth. The sinus cavity blocked with mucus becomes a target area for the growth of bacteria; this then becomes a bacterial infection. In acute sinusitis, pressure and pain in the face become quite severe, unlike in chronic sinusitis. Chronic sinusitis occurs when the sinus opening has been blocked for a while - causing congestion and unpleasant nasal secretions, polyps or fleshy growths (as a form of inflammatory swelling of the membranes).