Encyclopedia of Health and Medicine

sinusitis 51
sign language A nonverbal language that serves
as a system of communication for people who are
hearing impaired. Sign language uses hand signals
to represent letters of the alphabet and gestures to
represent words, phrases, and concepts. As in spoken
languages, sign languages incorporate an
extensive vocabulary with rules that govern its
presentation (grammar and syntax). The sign languages
most used in the United States are
• American Sign Language (ASL) derives its
structure from French Sign Language, which
was the first formal sign language, and is a
unique language separate from spoken English.
ASL is the third most common language in the
United States.
• Signing Exact English (SEE) evolved in the
early 1970s as a method to manually code spoken
English for children learning to read and
for people without hearing impairment who
communicate with those who have hearing
impairment.
• Pidgin Signed English (PSE) blends aspects of
ASL and SEE for colloquial or casual communication.
Though sign languages may carry a culture’s
name, such as American Sign Language or Japanese
Sign Language, there is no correlation
between the sign language and the culture’s spoken
language. Nor are sign languages necessarily
similar to each other.
The BRAIN processes sign languages differently
from spoken languages. Because spoken languages
form the basis for reading and writing, prelingual
children who have profound HEARING LOSS may
easily learn a sign language and yet have difficulty
learning to read and write.
See also BRAILLE; COGNITIVE FUNCTION AND DYS-
FUNCTION.
sinuses Cavities within the facial bones around
the NOSE, also called the paranasal sinuses, that
warm and moisten inhaled air. Mucous membrane
lines the sinuses, providing a continuous supply of
moisture. Mucus production increases in response
to irritation, for example, from environmental
particles (pollen, smoke), viruses, and BACTERIA.
The maxillary sinuses, on the face along the ridge
of BONE commonly called the cheek bone, and the
frontal sinuses, above the inside corners of the
eyes near the bridge of the nose, are the sinuses
that most commonly become congested as a result
of COLDS, allergies, and infections. The sinuses also
function as sound chambers that give the voice
resonance and amplification. Sinus congestion
limits this function, resulting in a characteristic
“nasal” voice.
For further discussion of the sinuses within the
context of otolaryngologic structure and function
please see the overview section “The Ear, Nose,
Mouth, and Throat.”
See also ALLERGIC RHINITIS; NASAL POLYP; SINUSITIS.
sinusitis INFLAMMATION of the SINUSES. The most
common causes of sinusitis are INFECTION and environmental
irritation such as seasonal allergies
(ALLERGIC RHINITIS). Sinusitis affects an estimated 37
million Americans each year. It can be acute (lasts
a few weeks), chronic (lasts months to years), or
recurrent (occurs in repeated acute episodes).
Doctors further define chronic sinusitis by the
extent of permanent damage to the mucous lining
of the nasal passages. Long-term chronic sinusitis
causes narrowing of the openings through which
mucus drains out of the sinuses.
Symptoms and Diagnostic Path
The symptoms of sinusitis include
• PAIN across the cheek bones or between the
eyes
• pain in the upper jaw and TEETH
• persistent HEADACHE that is worst on awakening
in the morning and improves through the day
though does not entirely go away
• nasal congestion
• frequent sneezing
• thick, colored discharge from the nostrils
• POSTNASAL DRIP
Some people with sinusitis also have FEVER,
COUGH, and PHARYNGITIS (from the postnasal drip).
The diagnostic path includes careful examination
of the inside of the NOSE. For acute sinusitis the
doctor may make the diagnosis on the basis of
what he or she observes. Doctors seldom order