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.
Enlarged inferior turbinates
Large, swollen inferior turbinates may exhibit these symptoms:
Nasal congestion that alternates from one side of the nose to the other
Difficulty breathing through the nose
Feeling of pain and pressure that alternates from one side of the face to the other
Headaches
Poor sleeping caused by nasal drainage problems and/or dry throat
Snoring and possibly obstructive sleep apnea (removing the nasal obstruction does not usually end snoring or obstructive sleep apnea, but may reduce the severity of your symptoms)
Tiredness and fatigue
Occasional to frequent sinus infections
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To arrive at a diagnosis, your physician will ask you about your symptoms, your medical history and visually examine your nose. A physical exam of your nose may include nasal endoscopy, a simple and painless office procedure in which your physician uses a tiny tube with a camera at the end to look up into your nose.
Sometimes, if the cause of your symptoms cannot be determined, a computed tomography (CT, or CaT) scan may be necessary to obtain more information.
