Understanding sinus pain

The sinuses are 8 hollow cavities in your skull that open out into the back of your nose through tiny ducts. They keep themselves clean by making mucus and sweeping it around with tiny hair-like projections called cilia.

They hurt because colds, flu and some allergies can cause the lining of your nose to become swollen and inflamed. The drainage ducts can get blocked and the sinus cavities can then fill up with mucus. This builds up pressure in the sinuses and you start to feel pain. It could be across your forehead, around your eyes, on your cheekbones or even spreading down to your teeth.

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