Inside your nose, there are four sinus cavities, located in the brow, inside each cheekbone, behind the bridge of the nose between the eyes, and in the upper region of the nose behind the eyes. There are also tiny hairs called cilia lining the inside of the nose. The cilia beat rhythmically to carry particles of dust or pollen out of the respiratory tract. But if their action is hindered, mucus can build up inside the sinuses, which can lead to infection.
Sinus pain results from the swelling and inflammation of the lining inside the nose from just such an infection, or from an allergic reaction. This swelling causes the sinus cavities to narrow and become blocked. Air and mucus become trapped within a blocked sinus and put pressure on the sinus wall. This is interpreted by the body as pain. A nose that is not properly aligned may also result in a blocking of the airway and chronic sinus problems.
Sinus-related sore throats are caused by poor sinus drainage; the constant postnasal drip irritates the delicate tissue at the back of the throat. Sometimes the middle ear can become painfully inflamed from the infection and pressurized pus in the sinus cavities.
Traditional sinus surgery only drains or removes infection from the sinus cavities. Using tiny instruments, computer-guided endoscopic sinus surgery can gently clean or unblock the sinuses with less pain, swelling and bruising than standard surgery.