This site does not provide
medical advice. If you think you may have a medical emergency,
call your doctor or 911 immediately.
The
website is created and sponsored by Medtronic ENT as an
informational and educational resource for the general public.
The medical information contained within this website has been
reviewed to ensure its accuracy. Medtronic ENT has a financial
interest in the products sold in this medical field.
Do I Suffer from Nasal Obstruction?
This short quiz can help you determine if you may have a nasal obstruction. Click here to take the quiz.
Patient Stories
Debbe Cornitius - Her stuffy nose and sinus pressure became
constant companions. Read
her story.
Mechanics Of A
Breath
When you breathe in, the breath is forced to
pass through the narrowest portion of the nose, the nasal valve,
which increases air speed and pressure. Just after passing the
valves, the air expands into the nasal cavity, creating
turbulence.
This turbulence promotes contact between the air
and the moist mucosa tissue. Through this process, the breath is cleansed of
particles, humidified, and heated or cooled to near body
temperatures.
Causes of nasal obstruction - polyps
Nasal polyps are smooth outgrowths of nasal tissue, generally located deep within the nasal cavity. These polyps sometimes block nasal airways and create breathing difficulties, as well as inhibit healthy sinus drainage.
Nasal polyps affect approximately 2 percent of the population, occur more often in middle-aged men and usually are not pre-cancerous. Scientists don't know why nasal polyps develop, but it's believed that they are caused by chronic nasal and sinus inflammation. In addition, asthmatics seem to have a higher incidence of nasal polyps than the general population.
When nasal polyps cause breathing problems or inhibit sinus drainage, they generally are treated by surgical removal.
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Note: Although nasal and sinus polyps are rare in children, they should be taken very seriously. Any child with nasal and sinus polyps should be screened for cystic fibrosis, Kartagener's syndrome, and allergic fungal sinusitis.
