Your nose and sinuses are important for keeping you healthy. Your nose helps remove dust, bacteria, and other potentially harmful substances from the air before it enters your airways and lungs. Your sinuses — the air-filled spaces located throughout your skull — produce mucous, a fluid that helps keep your nasal passages clear.
Disorders that affect the nose and sinuses are common. They may include:
Nose and sinus disorders may lead to:
Many nose and sinus conditions develop as a result of infection. Bacteria or viruses can inflame your nasal passages and sinuses, leading to swelling and increased amounts of mucous.
Some nasal and sinus problems, such as nasal polyps or cerebrospinal fluid leaks, are caused by structural changes within these tissues. Some of these problems may have been present since birth, while others can develop later in life due to infection or injury.
You may be more likely to experience nasal or sinus problems if you:
Some nose and sinus disorders can also lead to other conditions within this category. For example, ongoing sinusitis may lead you to develop nasal polyps or loss of smell.
When diagnosing a nose or sinus disorder, your doctor may perform an endoscopy. During this procedure, a thin tube with a camera at the end is inserted into your nose so that your doctor can see the inside of your airways and sinuses.
Imaging tests such as a CT scan may also help your health care team find any problems within your sinuses or nearby tissues.
Blood or skin tests can be used to identify allergies that may be causing your conditions.
Issues like sinusitis and nosebleeds often go away on their own. You may be able to improve the way you feel by drinking plenty of fluids, using saline-based nasal sprays, and running a humidifier. Over-the-counter decongestants, pain relievers, or allergy medications (antihistamines) may also help relieve symptoms.
Prescription medications or shots can also help treat allergy symptoms and make them less severe over time.
Nasal polyps, cerebrospinal leaks, or other conditions that lead to ongoing symptoms may need to be treated with surgery.