General Medical Information

Function Of The Paranasal Sinuses

Ronald G. Amedee
Andrew J. Miller

The clinical significance of the paranasal sinuses is well known to anyone who has had acute or chronic sinusitis. The functional significance of this anatomic region, however, remains largely unknown. The sinuses have been believed to play numerous roles, but no substantive laboratory studies have confirmed any of these hypothetical functions.

Prevailing theories suggest that the paranasal sinuses perform the following functions:

• Humidifying and warming inspired air
• Assisting in regulation of intranasal pressure
• Increasing the surface area of the olfactory membranes
• Lightening the skull to maintain proper head balance or assist in flotation
• Imparting resonance to the voice
• Absorbing shock to the head
• Contributing to facial growth
• Existing as evolutionary remains of useless air spaces

The complete function of the paranasal sinuses is probably not described by a single theory but is instead most likely a combination of several of the foregoing theories.