Nasal Obstruction
Nasal obstruction is a complex problem. It's cause is any combination of sinus disease, deformity of the structures inside
the nose, or weakness of the structure of visible nose. Very rarely, it can also be caused by growths deep inside the nose.
The proper evaluation of the root cause of nasal obstruction frequently involves a procedure done at the same time as your
initial visit. This is called a nasal endoscopy. This uses a small light tube to look deep into the nose and to evaluate
all structures contained within the nasal cavity and to gain insight into the main location or locations of your nasal obstruction.
One of the most common causes of nasal obstruction is enlargement of the inferior turbinates. These structures are important for
guiding air from the front of the nose toward the back. They keep air moving in straight lines, avoiding the creation of eddies.
Frequently, these structures are enlarged for a variety of reasons such as allergy, genetics, or chronic irritation. They are
frequently reduced concurrently with other procedures, or they can be treated directly as the main goal of surgery. In patients
who have no other identifiable source of obstruction, and particularly in those whose obstruction worsens when lying down flat,
improved nasal airflow can be obtained with an aggressive procedure aimed at these structures.
The Nasal septum is the anatomic structure separating one side of the nose from the other. Patients can develop a deviation of this
structure during normal development, or occasionally after suffering a broken nose. A big clue that this is the structure at fault is
when the patient notices a side that always seems to be the worse side in their nasal obstruction. A septoplasty is a procedure
performed by making a small incision inside the nose (hidden from view) and removing the skeletal component that is causing the deviation.
The amount of improvement this can achieve is very dependent on how significant the deviation is and where inside the nose the
deviation is located. This should be a significant part of the conversation with your doctor prior to surgery.
The outer structure of your nose can also be a significant part of your nasal obstruction. For people with weakened external nasal
support, they will frequently see their nose collapse in on sniffing in. This problem requires many repair techniques used
during a rhinoplasty (a nose job) and can be done with or without opening up the skin envelope surrounding the external nose.
Every evaluation of nasal obstruction should involve an assessment of the external strength of the visible external nose.
One final concept important in the evaluation of nasal obstruction is whether or not sinus disease is present. Important clues
into the presence of sinus disease would be the long-term presence of increased nasal mucous (including post-nasal drip), decreased
sense of smell, facial pain or pressure in the cheeks, teeth, or underlying the eyebrows, or recurrent bacterial sinus infections.
Frequently, your doctor can see evidence of sinus disease on nasal endoscopy (see paragraph 1), and it can be definitively assessed with
a CT scan of the sinuses.
Make an appointment with Dr York today for an in depth discussion and evaluation of your nasal obstruction, CLICK HERE!
For information on what to expect after a typical surgery for nasal obstruction, CLICK HERE!