Hypertrophy of the nasal turbinates
Any inflammation of the nose (allergic rhinitis, common cold, upper respiratory tract infections, sinusitis), as well as exogenous factors (air pollution, smoke, allergens) can cause a hypertrophy of the nasal turbinates.
This has a direct impact on the significant reduction of nasal breathing.
The nasal turbinates are located on the lateral walls of the nose, three in each nostril (superior, middle and inferior turbinate). They have a rich blood supply, which allows them to increase or decrease their size depending on the conditions of the external environment (temperature, humidity, irritants). Their functional role is very important. It includes the preparation of inhaled air before it enters the lungs. This function concerns the cleaning, heating and humidification of the inhaled air inside the nose.
Causes of hypertrophy of the nasal turbinates
Allergic rhinitis, the common cold, upper respiratory infections, sinusitis, the abuse of nasal decongestants), but also exogenous factors (air pollution, smoke, allergens) can cause hypertrophy of the nasal turbinates. In general, hypertrophy in all the above cases mainly concerns the lower nasal turbinates, which causes a significant reduction in the capacity of the nasal cavities, resulting in a reduction in the passage of the airway and immediate difficulty in nasal breathing.
Symptoms
Difficulty in nasal breathing combined with a runny nose are the main symptoms of hypertrophy. These lead to further problems, such as sleep disorders, snoring, sleep apnea, headache, feeling of fatigue, smell disorders and dry mouth.
The diagnosis is made by an otolaryngologist with nasal endoscopy.
Treatment methods
The treatment of turbinate hypertrophy can be conservative or surgical.
Conservative treatment
This treatment includes the administration of corticosteroid preparations in the form of nasal sprays in combination or not with antihistamine tablets, depending on the severity of the problem. In some cases, the use of nasal irrigation with special devices is also recommended.
In case of failure of conservative treatment and when symptoms persist, then surgical treatment is chosen.
Surgical treatment
The most widely used method today is submucosal cauterization of the inferior nasal turbinates. The cauterization is performed using radiofrequencies under local anesthesia. It is a modern, painless and bloodless method. The radiofrequencies are applied submucosally along the entire length of the inferior nasal turbinates. In this way, the mucosa (outer covering) is preserved, which is also the main functional factor of the turbinates. This results in avoiding the occurrence of dry rhinitis (rhinitis sicca) or empty nose syndrome, where the heating, humidification and purification of inhaled air are disrupted.
The important advantages of this method are as follows:
- Short procedure (it lasts less than half an hour)
- No hospitalization is required
- It is painless
- No nasal packing is required
- The patient returns to work immediately
- It offers very good breathing
- In case of recurrence after many years, it can be easily repeated
Postoperative care
Postoperative care lasts approximately 3 weeks. During this period, the patient must perform nasal irrigation on a daily basis and instill moisturizing nasal drops. It also advisable to avoid forceful nose blowing and weight lifting or intense physical exercise. Finally, it is recommended to visit the clinic once a week for postoperative cleaning of the nose (removal of nasal crusts).