Turbinate Reduction: Breathing Freely Starts Here

Have you ever noticed how, when your nose is blocked, you automatically start breathing through your mouth? It’s instinctive, but your mouth wasn’t designed for that job. Your nose filters, humidifies, and warms the air you breathe before it reaches your lungs.

Mouth breathing can lead to various problems, from dry mouth and bad breath to poor sleep and an increased risk of respiratory infections. You may also struggle to get a good night’s sleep, feel constantly exhausted, or experience frequent sinus infections. 

Your nose might feel stuffed up for many reasons, including seasonal allergies, colds, sinus infections, or structural issues like a deviated septum. However, if your nasal congestion never seems to clear up, your turbinates may be the problem.

Turbinates are tiny structures inside your nose that help regulate airflow. They can sometimes become enlarged or swollen, blocking your nasal passages and making breathing difficult. Simple remedies like decongestants or nasal sprays may only offer temporary relief. Turbinate reduction, on the other hand, can be a long-term fix.

Before considering turbinate reduction, though, it’s essential to determine if your turbinates are truly the cause of your breathing problems. An experienced ear, nose, and throat specialist like Mani Zadeh, MD, can accurately diagnose your nasal obstruction and, if necessary, perform turbinate reduction to get you breathing freely again.

What are turbinates, and how do they affect your breathing?

Along the sides of your nasal passages are three pairs of turbinates: inferior, middle, and superior. These small, bony structures are covered in mucous membranes that warm, humidify, and filter the air before it reaches your lungs.

Turbinates naturally swell and shrink throughout the day due to temperature, humidity, and allergens. However, when they become permanently enlarged due to chronic inflammation, allergies, or structural abnormalities, they can obstruct your airflow, making it difficult to breathe through your nose.

Signs that enlarged turbinates may be the problem

Chronic nasal congestion is the most apparent sign of enlarged turbinates. However, there are other signs that your turbinates might be causing trouble.

• Difficulty breathing through your nose, even when you don’t have a cold
• Frequent sinus infections
• Snoring or sleep disturbances
• Dry mouth from regular mouth breathing
• Reduced sense of smell or taste
• Constantly feeling the need to clear your throat

If any of these symptoms sound familiar, you might be dealing with turbinate hypertrophy, an enlargement of the turbinates that blocks normal airflow.

How turbinate reduction can help

Turbinate reduction helps open up your nasal passages by reducing the size of the turbinates without removing them completely. The goal is to restore airflow while keeping the turbinates functional so they can continue to humidify and filter the air you breathe.

What to expect

Turbinate reduction is a straightforward, minimally invasive procedure. There are a few techniques, including radiofrequency ablation, which uses low-temperature radiofrequency waves to shrink the turbinates, and microdebrider-assisted turbinate reduction, where we carefully remove excess tissue, leaving the mucous membrane intact.

In more severe cases, we may need to surgically remove a portion of the turbinate to allow for better airflow. The procedure is typically done under local anesthesia and takes less than an hour. Most patients experience little discomfort and can return to normal activities within a few days.

Is turbinate reduction right for you?

If you’ve tried every nasal spray, allergy medication, and home remedy out there but still struggle with nasal congestion, it’s time to see a specialist. 

Dr. Zadeh specializes in diagnosing and treating chronic nasal obstruction. He performs a thorough evaluation to determine whether enlarged turbinates are the problem. If they are, he can expertly carry out turbinate reduction.

After turbinate reduction, you may have some mild swelling or congestion for a week or two, but once that subsides, most patients notice a dramatic improvement in their breathing. Many patients find that they sleep better, have fewer sinus infections, and no longer need to rely on medications to manage their congestion.

If nasal congestion interferes with your quality of life, contact Mani Zadeh, MD, to schedule a consultation today. He’ll help you identify the root cause of your breathing difficulties and find lasting relief.