US Medical Term · anatomy
Sinuses
Senos paranasales
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Sinuses |
| Spanish (Español) | Senos paranasales |
| Chinese (中文) | 鼻竇 |
| Korean (한국어) | 부비동 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Xoang mũi |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Sinus |
| Portuguese (Português) | Seios paranasais |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | โพรงอากาศ |
| Japanese (日本語) | 副鼻腔 |
What it means
The sinuses are hollow, air-filled spaces inside the bones of your face and skull. There are four pairs of sinuses named by their location: frontal (behind the forehead), maxillary (in the cheekbones), ethmoid (between the eyes), and sphenoid (deep behind the nose). The sinuses are lined with a mucous membrane that produces mucus, which drains into the nasal cavity and helps filter air you breathe. They also make your voice resonate and reduce the weight of your skull. When the lining becomes inflamed and the drainage openings become blocked — usually due to a cold, allergies, or infection — you develop sinusitis, causing pressure, facial pain, and congestion.
How to say it
Sentences a patient might use with a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or insurer:
I have a lot of pressure and pain in my face — the doctor thinks my sinuses are infected.
Tengo mucha presión y dolor en la cara — el doctor cree que mis senos paranasales están infectados.
My sinuses have been blocked for three weeks and the antibiotics are not helping.
Mis senos paranasales han estado bloqueados por tres semanas y los antibióticos no están ayudando.
Can allergies cause my sinuses to stay swollen all year?
¿Pueden las alergias causar que mis senos paranasales se mantengan inflamados todo el año?
Where you'll see it
Related terms
Sources
Last reviewed: September 2026