Most of the effects of sinusitis are related to the nose in one way or the other.
Although it looks very small, the nose consists of many components that are specifically designed for various functionalities.
The upper part is made up of bone or the external nose while the lower part consists of a cartilage called nasal septum that divides the space in the airway into nasal passages.
This nasal septum extends from the nostrils into the throat.
This architecture is very efficient in that bacteria and other foreign particles captured in the nose are pushed into the throat which takes them into the stomach for destruction by acids.
All this is part of an involuntary activity that forms the protection of the body against dangerous microbes present in the inhaled air.
The nose performs the important function of cleaning up the air before letting it go to the lungs.
Which explains why sinusitis nose and ongoing nasal problems become such painful conditions.
The internal mucus linings inside the nose help it perform the function.
This is a nutrient rich area that also has a very good supply of blood vessels inside it.
The blood supply ensures that the mucus linings of the nose are warm and wet.
If they dry up it results in the mucus secretion getting thicker.
A thick mucus secretion doesn't flow very easily leading to clogging the internal spaces within the nasal cavity.
The entire nasal passage has a delicate design that enables maximum filtering of the air.
This is possible through folds of cartilage called turbinates which provide an increased surface area for the air to pass through into the lungs.
Again, the nasal cavity itself is very narrow.
Hence thicker mucus clogs these folds thus undoing the protective system and providing an environment susceptible to fungal and bacterial growth.
Another important function of the nose is its sense of smell.
The nose has special receptor cells located in the nasal cavity's upper part.
These cells are specialized for their function and possess cilia.
Each cells' cilia are susceptible to a certain kind of chemical.
Together they collaborate to distinguish one smell from another by reacting differently to the chemicals.
These stimulations are passed on by the olfactory nerve cells as nerve impulses to the brain which identifies the smell.
During sinusitis the nose loses its capability of smell.
This is also a reason why the food itself becomes tasteless as each of those chemical impulses was responsible for identifying the smell and the associated texture of the food.
This happens because these receptor cells are located in the upper part of the nose.
During sinusitis the nose is clogged by the thick viscous fluid called mucus that greatly reduces the air flow towards the upper part of the nasal cavity.
Thus the smell fails to stimulate the cilia and the receptor cells as a result of which the brain fails to indentify the smell.
Perfectly built for respiration, protection, smell and balance, the nose can be greatly disturbed by sinusitis effects chiefly, the clogging of the nasal passages by the mucus.
The thin mucus membranes also swell because of the infection by fungi and bacteria.
This takes up some extra space too in the nose greatly enhancing the congestion inside the narrow passage.
Hence one must try to keep the nose clean, and prevent mucus clogging by frequently blowing the nose during sinusitis or even general flu.