[Kim Jaeho's Life Story]<239> Kobubidongyeom and Sinusitis

People often do not appreciate the importance of their bodies unless they experience pain. When someone is hospitalized due to a leg injury or has to wear a cast for an extended period, they come to realize the value of their leg. Similarly, suffering from food poisoning makes one aware of the importance of the digestive system. The nose is no different. In Korea, many people suffer from allergic rhinitis (see Life Story episode 238), and those who have experienced rhinitis understand well the importance of the nose.

Unlike plants that live by photosynthesis using solar energy, humans and animals cannot produce energy directly. They obtain nutrients from plants or other animals to produce energy, and oxygen is essential for this energy production. Since oxygen cannot be stored in the body, we must continuously breathe in oxygen, and if breathing stops and oxygen is not supplied, it is difficult to survive for more than five minutes.

Air contains about 20.9% oxygen, and our bodies use the oxygen in the air that enters the lungs for energy production. The waste product created during this process, carbon dioxide, is expelled from the body. The passage through which air travels is the nose. Additionally, the olfactory nerves located in the nose allow us to smell, and the nose, positioned at the center of the face, plays a crucial role in determining the overall facial image.

What we need when we breathe is clean oxygen free from impurities. However, the air contains many harmful substances, including bacteria, viruses, and fine dust, which can cause many problems if they enter the lungs directly. Therefore, the body's top specialist has a system inside the nose that filters out harmful substances from the incoming air and appropriately adjusts the air's temperature and humidity.

The air that enters through the nose passes through the nasal cavity, pharynx, and bronchial tubes before reaching the lungs. At this time, the nasal hairs at the entrance of the nose and the cilia?short, fine hairs on the inner surface of the nasal cavity, which extends to the oral cavity?filter out most of the impurities in the air. These impurities are then expelled through sneezing or the nostrils, preventing them from entering the lungs.

Inside the nose, just like a living room surrounded by several bedrooms, there are several empty spaces around the main air passage called the nasal cavity. These spaces are called the paranasal sinuses. The paranasal sinuses connect to the nasal cavity through passages called natural ostia and are divided into four regions based on their location.

On both sides near the eyebrows inside the frontal bone are the frontal sinuses, also known as the forehead sinuses. Between the eyes inside the nasal bone are the ethmoid sinuses, divided into several small spaces resembling a honeycomb. Deep inside both eyes are the sphenoid sinuses, and inside the cheeks below the eyes are the largest paranasal sinuses, the maxillary sinuses.

The exact role of the paranasal sinuses is not fully understood, but scientists speculate that they increase the humidity of incoming air, produce mucus from the mucous membrane lining the inner walls to expel foreign substances including bacteria through the natural ostia into the nasal cavity, help regulate pressure inside the nasal cavity, lighten the skull, protect the eyes and brain, and contribute to voice resonance when speaking.

If the natural ostia become blocked and the secretions produced in the paranasal sinuses cannot be smoothly discharged into the nasal cavity, the mucous membrane swells or becomes inflamed, which is called sinusitis. Since sinusitis often accompanies rhinitis, inflammation of the nasal cavity, it is sometimes called rhinosinusitis. Sinusitis is classified as acute or chronic depending on the duration of inflammation. When the natural ostia are blocked and rhinosinusitis occurs, pus-like secretions accumulate inside the sinuses, a condition known as nasal congestion.

Rhinosinusitis is a common disease that many people suffer from. In the United States, about 14% of adults have it, with women being affected much more frequently. The sinuses provide a warm and humid environment conducive to bacterial growth, so sinusitis can be caused by viruses, bacteria, or fungi due to colds, allergies, polyps, weakened immune systems from diseases or medications, and smoking increases the risk of infection.

Symptoms of rhinosinusitis include mucus dripping down the throat (postnasal drip), nasal discharge, nasal congestion, bad breath, cough, fever, fatigue, pain in the sinus areas, and tenderness around the face, especially near the nose, eyes, and forehead.

Acute bacterial rhinosinusitis is treated with antibiotics. Nasal decongestants are sometimes used to shrink the mucous membranes lining the nasal cavity and sinuses to help discharge mucus and improve air circulation through the natural ostia. Antihistamines may be used to reduce allergy symptoms such as sneezing, itching, and runny nose, and anti-inflammatory analgesics are used to suppress inflammation and relieve pain.

Although rhinosinusitis is not a life-threatening disease, it causes various inconveniences in daily life and significantly lowers quality of life. Since it easily recurs if one does not change unhealthy habits that interfere with the work of the body's top specialist, it is advisable to practice a lifestyle called New Start (see Life Story episode 6) that creates an environment favorable for genes to work well and prevent the disease in advance.

Jaeho Kim, Independent Researcher

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.