nose

Eva Rudolf-Müller is a freelance writer in the medical team. She studied human medicine and newspaper sciences and has repeatedly worked in both areas - as a doctor in the clinic, as a reviewer, and as a medical journalist for various specialist journals. She is currently working in online journalism, where a wide range of medicine is offered to everyone.

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The nose is one of the upper respiratory tract and thus has essential functions in breathing: It regulates the airflow, warms the inhaled air, cleanses and humidifies it. It is also important for smelling, because most of what we taste (in the mouth) is actually smelled. Last but not least, the nose plays an important role in language formation, because it serves as a resonance space when speaking. Find out everything you need to know about the structure and function of the nose, as well as common health problems!

What is the nose

The nose is - with "normal" breathing (ie closed mouth) - the first organ through which the inhaled air flows into the body and the last organ through which the stale air leaves the body. It is only partially bony, the front part consists of cartilage tissue. The two nostrils enclose the nasal vestibule, which is equipped with hair (Vastibulum nasi). It represents the front part of the nasal cavity (Cavitas nasi) and leads in the rear part into the actual nasal (main) cavity (Cavitas nasi propria).

At the transition between the forecourt and the main cavity there is an approximately 1.5 millimeter wide strip of mucous membrane, which is traversed by numerous tiny blood vessels (capillaries) and is called Locus Kiesselbachii. If you get a nosebleed (epistaxis), this is usually the source of the bleeding.

The nasal cavity is divided median by a septum (septum nasi) into two long, narrow "tubes". This septum is cartilaginous in the anterior section and bony in the posterior section.

The actual nasal cavity is divided into the three nasal passages by three superimposed bony lamellae on the side wall of the cavity - the so-called conchae:

1. the lower nasal passage: lies between the lower turbinate and the floor of the nasal cavity (consisting of the hard palate and the roof of the oral cavity); this is where the lacrimal duct opens out from the tear sac near the inner corner of the eye.
2. the middle nasal passage: lies between the middle and lower turbinates; The frontal sinus, the maxillary sinus and the anterior and middle ethmoid cells flow into it.
3. the upper nasal passage: lies between the upper and middle turbinates; the posterior ethmoid cells and the sphenoid sinuses open into it.

The various sinuses - frontal sinuses, maxillary sinuses, sphenoid sinuses, and ethmoid cells - are air-filled cavities that are lined with mucous membrane. Their respective names are derived from the skull bone in which they are located.

What is the function of the nose?

The nose is lined with two different types of mucous membrane on its inner walls: respiratory mucosa and olfactory mucosa.

The respiratory mucous membrane (Latin: respiratio = breathing) lines almost the entire nasal cavity. This area is called the respiratory area or breathing region (Regio respiratoria). The respiratory mucosa consists of a multi-row ciliated epithelium. This contains mucous glands that produce nasal secretions. The fine cilia of the epithelium move constantly and free the air we breathe from dirt, pollutants and foreign bodies by conveying sin towards the exit. The sneezing reflex is triggered by irritation of the mucous membrane. Its purpose is to remove dirt, secretions and foreign bodies from the nose.

The olfactory mucosa, a sensory epithelium, covers the nasal concha and adjacent parts of the nasal septum. This area is called the olfactory region (Regio olfactoria). In humans, it is only about five square centimeters in size and contains ten to 30 million olfactory cells. When smelling and sniffing, air vortices are created, which transport fragrance molecules to the upper nasal passage, the olfactory canal. Here, the olfactory cells absorb the olfactory molecules from the air you breathe and then pass these stimuli on to the olfactory center of the brain via the olfactory nerves. A 2014 study by Rockefeller University in New York found that humans can perceive more than a trillion different smells in this way - and not just around 10,000, as experts previously assumed. For comparison: the human eyes can perceive several million different color nuances and the human ears around half a million different tones.

Even when swallowing, air vortices with odorous substances reach the olfactory mucous membrane. Therefore, much that one believes to be tasted is actually smelled, because our taste organ, the tongue, can only distinguish five flavors, namely sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami (hearty).

Swelling and swelling of the mucous membrane

The nasal mucous membrane is well supplied with blood and has many small vessels, especially in the areas with the respiratory mucous membrane, which form a swelling tissue in the turbinates through which the space inside the nose can be varied. This regulates the respiratory volume. In addition, the well-perfused tissue can warm the inhaled air before it reaches the lower airways (including the lungs). In addition, protect the mucous membrane from drying out by secreting glandular secretions. Inhaling warm air leads to a swelling of the mucous membrane of the mussels, inhaling cold air to swelling and increased secretion.

Language education

Another important function of the nose is language formation. Together with the various sinuses, it serves as a resonance space for pronouncing the consonants m, n and ng. These are spoken by keeping the nasopharynx open and allowing air to flow out through the nose. But when this is misplaced and only a little air can flow through, the language sounds nasal. This is the case, for example, with rhinitis (rhinitis = inflammation of the nasal mucous membrane), enlarged tonsils and also with tumors. If, on the other hand, the nasopharynx is always open, for example in the case of paralysis of the soft palate or a cleft palate, then all the sounds spoken have a nasal sound.

Where is the nose located?

The outer nose sits in the middle of the human face and more or less protrudes from it. It forms the entrance to the actual nasal cavity, which is enclosed by the skull bones. The lower limit is the hard palate - the demarcation from the oral cavity. The upper limit is formed by different skull bones: nasal bone, sphenoid bone, ethmoid bone and frontal bone. Several bones also provide for the lateral limitation.

What problems can the nose cause?

A common problem is acute or chronic inflammation of the nasal mucous membrane (rhinitis). Acute rhinitis very often develops as part of a cold - this is then the typical common cold. Sometimes acute rhinitis is also an allergic reaction, for example to pollen (hay fever) or to the excrement of house dust mites. Chronic rhinitis can also be due to both an infection and an allergy.

Other possible health problems in this region of the body are abscesses (encapsulated collections of pus), boils (inflammation of the hair follicles), carbuncles ("pus bumps"), cysts (fluid-filled cavities) and polyps (benign growths of the mucous membrane). Congenital malformations also occur, such as the septum. This can be crooked, for example, what medical professionals call a septal deviation. A severe curvature can make it difficult to breathe through the nose and cause snoring. Surgery can fix the curvature.

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