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To the Editor: The paranasal sinuses communicate with the nasal cavity through narrow ostia. It is essential for sinus health that the ostia remain patent so that air and fluid can pass freely. Indeed, blockage of the ostia is a major risk factor for sinusitis.¹ Therefore, the main goal in medical as well as surgical treatment of chronic sinusitis is to restore ventilation of the sinuses.

The mucosa of the nose and sinuses release nitric oxide that can be measured easily in nasally exhaled air.^2-3 Sinus epithelium produces an especially large amount of nitric oxide and the concentrations in the sinuses can reach levels of greater than 20 ppm.³ We recently reported that levels of exhaled nasal nitric oxide increase dramatically if a person hums while exhaling rather than exhaling silently.⁴ This is most likely due to a great increase in paranasal sinus ventilation caused by the oscillating sound waves.⁴ . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

ATS Workshop Proceedings: Exhaled Nitric Oxide and Nitric Oxide Oxidative Metabolism in Exhaled Breath Condensate.
Proc Am Thorac Soc 2006;3:131-145.
FULL TEXT  

Temporal nitric oxide dynamics in the paranasal sinuses during humming
Menzel et al.
J. Appl. Physiol. 2005;98:2064-2071.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT