A 42-year-old man with a 6-month history of recurrent rhinosinusitis presents with persistent nasal obstruction, post-nasal drip, and facial pain despite 3 months of intranasal corticosteroids and saline irrigations. Axial CT sinuses is performed. The structure marked **C** in the diagram shows narrowing due to septal deviation and mucosal edema. Which of the following best explains the pathophysiologic mechanism underlying his chronic sinusitis?