Assessing Nose and Sinuses
Anatomy of the Nose • External Structures – Bridge – Tip – Nostrils – Vestibule
Anatomy of the Nose • Internal Structures – Mucous Membranes – Hard Palate, Soft Palate – Turbinates Septum – Posterior Pharynx – Opening of Eustachian Tube
Nose and Sinuses • Functions: – Identification of Odors – Air Passage – Humidification, Warming, and Filtering Air – Resonance of Speech – Drainage of Sinuses
Assessing the Nose and Sinuses • Inquire if the client has any history of the following: • Allergies • Difficulty of breathing through the nose • Sinus infections • Injuries to nose or face • Nosebleeds • Medications taken • Changes in the sense of smell
Assessing the nose • Inspect the external nose for any deviations in shape, size, or color and flaring or discharge from the nares • Lightly palpate the external
Assessing the nose • Determine the patency of both nasal cavities Air moves freely as the client breathes through the nares
Assessing the Nose • Inspect the nasal cavities using a flashlight or a nasal speculum
Observe for the presence of redness, swelling, growths and discharge
Assessing the Nose • Inspect the nasal septum between the nasal chambers
Assessing Facial Sinuses Sinuses: • Frontal • Ethmoid •Sphenoid • Maxillary
Assessing Facial Sinuses • Palpate the maxillary and frontal sinuses for tenderness
Assessing the Maxillary Sinuses
Assessing Frontal Sinuses
Lifespan Considerations • Infants: • A speculum is usually not necessary to examine the septum, turbinates, and septum
Children • A speculum is not necessary, it might cause the child to be apprehensive • Cough and runny nose are the most common signs of sinusitis in preadolescent children
Elders • The sense of smell Markedly diminishes • Nosebleeds may result from hypertensive diseases or other arterial vessel changes