The nose plays a central role in the entire face. Its shape and size determine the aesthetic value of a face. The nose also cannot be underestimated in terms of human physiological functions. It tells the past and brings in the new, provides insight into various flavors, and makes people live In a delicious world.

In the middle of our face, there is a protruding organ, which is the nose.

According to observations, the rudiment of a nose has already appeared in a fetus that is more than 20 days old. Later, after a thousand changes, it finally stands in the center of the face when the baby is born.

The nose is composed of three parts: the external nose, the nasal cavity and the paranasal sinuses.

The external nose is composed of nasal bones, nasal cartilage and soft tissue. The external nose protrudes from the face and is susceptible to trauma. The veins of the external nose drain into the cavernous sinus. If the inflammation is not treated properly, it can cause complications such as cavernous sinus thrombophlebitis.

The front part of the nasal cavity is called the nasal vestibule. It has nasal hairs and is rich in sweat glands and sebaceous glands, which is prone to boils. The top of the nasal cavity is part of the bottom of the anterior cranial fossa. It is thin and tightly adhered to the dura mater. The olfactory nerve passes through it. When the base of the skull is fractured, it can cause the outflow of cerebrospinal fluid. The inner side of the nose is the nasal septum, and there is a rich blood vessel network below and in front of it, called the nasal septum, which is an area prone to bleeding. The surface of the lateral wall of the nasal cavity is irregular and has three vertical downward protrusions, called the superior turbinate, middle turbinate, and inferior turbinate. The space below each turbinate is called the nasal passage.

There are four pairs of sinuses, namely the frontal sinus, the ethmoid sinus, the maxillary sinus and the sphenoid sinus.

The frontal sinus is located at the lower part of the frontal bone. The posterior wall is a thin bone plate separated from the anterior cranial fossa. The bottom wall is equivalent to the upper inner corner of the orbit and is very thin. When acute frontal sinusitis occurs, there is obvious tenderness here.

The ethmoid sinus is located in the ethmoid bone between the orbit and the outer upper part of the nasal cavity. It is composed of extremely thin small bone plates that form honeycomb-shaped small air cells, which are divided into anterior and posterior groups. The outer surface and the inner surface of the orbit are paper-like plates, which are as thin as paper, so inflammation of the ethmoid sinus or orbit can infect each other.

The maxillary sinus, located in the body of the maxilla, is the largest pair of sinuses, with an average capacity of about 13 ml. The opening of the maxillary sinus is higher, which is not conducive to drainage, so it is more prone to inflammation than other sinuses.

The sphenoid sinus is located in the body of the sphenoid bone above and behind the nasal cavity. Its top, outer, and posterior walls are all separated from the middle and posterior cranial fossa by bony plates. It is closely related to the orbital apex. Therefore, when sphenoid sinusitis occurs Can cause optic neuropathy.

Although the nose is a smaller organ in the human body, its role is not small.

People must breathe, and the nose is the “leading” respiratory organ. Inhaling fresh air and exhaling carbon dioxide is an important function of the nose. The lungs have very strict requirements for the incoming air: the temperature should be 35°C; the humidity should be 95%, and it should be free of dust. Only the nose can do this. Fresh air passes through the nose and must be filtered, moistened, and humidified before it can meet the "hygiene" requirements. Therefore, the nose is the first portal for air to enter the lungs.

An adult takes about 16 breaths per minute. The younger the age, the more breaths per minute. Even if we count 16 times, we have to breathe 23,000 times a day. The "workload" of the nose is really not small, and the importance of the nose can be imagined.

“There is an invisible universe at the end of our noses,” says Chicago neuroscientist and smell and taste expert Alan Hirsch. Among the olfactory studies conducted by this expert, there are some very strange and widely debated conclusions. For example, he found that: the smell of green apple may reduce migraines; the smell of barbecue smoke can make people feel that space is shrinking; smelling banana, green apple or mint can help lose weight.

How the nose identifies smells. There is a kind of olfactory receptor above each nasal cavity, called the olfactory epithelium, which is about the size of an ordinary postage stamp and contains millions of receptor cells with cilia that swim in mucus. The function of these cells is still poorly understood, and the processes involved in sensing and identifying odors are poorly understood.

For a substance to emit an odor, it must first be easily volatile and able to release molecules. Therefore, marble and glass have no smell, but cheese cannot escape our noses.

Odor-bearing molecules carry into the nostrils with the air. When we breathe normally, only a small amount of air touches the top of the nasal cavity, so if you want to smell something, you have to work harder and inhale more air to expose the receptor cells to more odor molecules. These cells then convey the received information to the brain.

The ancient Greek philosopher Democritus said: "If everything turned into smoke, the nostrils would distinguish it." This is of course impossible. However, the nose is indeed very capable of smelling. Scientists say that the average person can distinguish about 4,000 kinds of odors, while a highly sensitive nose can distinguish 10,000 kinds!

The functions of the nose are naturally far more than these. Relevant experts tell us that only its physiology There are nearly 30 functions.

Nowadays, in order to facilitate treatment or reduce the side effects of certain drugs, doctors sometimes let the nose "take medicine"; for those patients who are temporarily unable to swallow, "nasal feeding" is the most commonly used way to supplement nutrition. method. The most peculiar thing is that some ethnic groups in Southeast Asia like to drink wine through their nose; there is a woman in the United States who has the special ability to use her nose instead of her mouth and eat with her nose.

The large amount of lysozyme secreted by the nose not only makes the nose one of the cleanest organs in the body, but also protects the eyes to a certain extent from being invaded by germs and keeps the eyes healthy. Bright, because the nose and eyes can be connected.

Some people also regard the nose as a shield to protect the eyes. Just imagine, if you are punched in the face, isn't the nose often the first to suffer?

Singers are afraid of catching a cold, and people with other serious nasal diseases have difficulty producing clear and pleasant sounds. Because the nose has the function of "sounding", language will become more pleasant to listen to when it is properly processed by the nose.

Although your nose is small, it plays a big role. I hope you can take good care of your nose.