Nasal Obstruction
Nasal obstruction refers to difficulty breathing through the nose with enough airflow. This is not considered normal and, in most cases, can be effectively treated.
Symptoms
Symptoms can vary. Some are more obvious, such as a feeling of a blocked nose, while others may be less direct, including:
- Reduced sense of smell
- Snoring
- Runny nose
- Waking with a dry throat
It is common for one nostril to feel more blocked than the other at times. This can be part of the normal nasal cycle, where tissue inside the nose (the inferior turbinates) naturally swell on one side while shrinking on the other, alternating throughout the day.
Management
There are two main approaches to managing nasal obstruction:
- Nasal sprays
- Surgery
In most cases, treatment begins with a trial of nasal sprays. This typically involves a combination of saline rinses (saline douche) and intranasal steroid sprays. These should be used consistently for around 6 weeks to assess their effectiveness.
If your symptoms do not improve with sprays, surgery may be considered. The specific procedure will vary depending on the cause of the blockage, but the overall aim is to improve airflow by increasing the space inside the nasal passages, while maintaining normal nasal function.
Many patients benefit from a septoplasty (to straighten the septum) combined with a turbinoplasty (to reduce the size of the turbinates). In more complex cases, or where previous surgery has not been successful, a functional rhinoplasty may be recommended.
For further information about treatment options, an appointment can be arranged with Dr Phillips.