PARANASAL SINUSES - ONE OF NATURES LITTLE GAMES

Many theories exist concerning the function of paranasal sinuses, but it is rather difficult to definitively name the right one. Despite the fact that many of them have been proved to be wrong, they are still u sed. Theories: Galen postulated 2000 years ago that they were ''porous bones'', which helped with weight reduction. Like Galen's theory, mos t of the others have been refuted as well. A list of these refuted the ories covers a range of postulated functions including a relative warm ing or moistening of the breath, protection against high pressure in t he nasal region when sneezing, paranasal sinuses as a place of efficie nt mucus production, or an aid for smelling, similar to the ethmoidal cells of the porcupine. Others include an isolated function for protec tion against cold climates and an aid for formulating sound by acting as a resonance chamber. Conclusions: Two theories still remain. One sa ys that the paranasal sinuses are only the result of the evolutionary processes that have taken place in the skull during human development. The other theory explains that the form of the paranasal sinuses exis ts through the influence of the forces created during the act of chewi ng. Small cavities appear as a result of the minimal energy created, a nd these cavities can be found in the form of paranasal sinuses.