NOSE & SINUS
How the nose works
The nose is the organ of smell, and is also a main passageway to the lungs.
The functions of the nose
The functions of the nose and sinuses include:
- Respiration - To warm and moisten the air before it enters the lungs (inhalation).
- Purification - The walls of the nasal cavity are covered with microscopic “cilia”. These trap dust and other harmful particles. These are then transported to the back of the nose where they are swallowed. This is an important defence mechanism.
- Smell - the nose’s olfactory receptors work together with our taste buds to identify food flavours.
- Speech - The airflow through the nose can modify the sound of our speech.
The sinuses
Surrounding the nose are the bones of the face which contain hollow spaces, the paranasal sinuses. These are air pockets that are located near the nose and eyes, and are connected to the nasal passages by small tubes or channels. Their function is unknown but they may be there to lighten the bones of our skull allowing us to stand upright.
There are four pairs of paranasal sinuses. These are:
- The ethmoidal sinuses (located between the eyes)
- The maxillary sinuses (located in the cheeks below the eyes)
- The sphenoidal sinuses (located at the back of the nose)
- The frontal sinuses (located in the forehead)
The My ENT Specialist doctors are a highly trained group of qualified Ear, Nose and Throat specialists supported by an experienced nursing, allied health and admin team and have expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of all conditions related to the nose and sinuses.