First, the term sinus can mean two things. One, a sinus is a mucus-filled, air-filled cavity in certain cranial bones. Two, a sinus is also a dilated channel for the passage of blood or lymph. (Marieb, 2004)
For the purposes of MaryZSinuses, we will be focusing on the former, the mucus-filled, air-filled cavities in your head. There are four pairs of sinuses, which are named the frontal, ethmoid, maxillary, and sphenoid. The sinuses are formed by five skull bones that share the same name as each sinus: frontal, ethmoid, maxillary and sphenoid. Each sinus contains mucousa-lined, air-filled sinuses that look like a moth-eaten sweater on an X-ray film. Also known as the paranasal sinuses, these cavities cluster around the nasal cavity. Small openings connect the sinuses to the nasal cavity are like two-way streets. First, air goes into the sinuses from the nasal cavities and mucus formed by the sinuses mucosae drains into the sinus cavity. Sinus mucosae also warm and humidify air that is breathed in. In addition, the paranasal sinuses lighten the skull and enhance the resonance of the voice.
An easy way of remembering the names of all of the sinuses is to use this mnemonic device: FEMS
F=frontal
E=ethmoid
M=maxillary
S=sphenoid
Fun fact: The sphenoid bone is butterfly-shaped and has a distinctive shape! Please see below. (Clipart ETC)
Works Cited
Clipart ETC. (n.d.). Retrieved February 10, 2011, from Online service of Florida's Educational Technology Clearinghouse: http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=clip+art+Medical+sphenoid+bone+free&view=detail&id=B690604E8E87030C7240880AEE5A545043289A3D&first=1&FORM=IDFRIR
Marieb, E. N. (2004). Human anatomy and physiology. San Francisco: Pearson.
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