How do you reduce turbinate swelling?
How can you care for yourself at home?
- Take your medicines or use nasal sprays exactly as prescribed.
- Ask your doctor about cough medicines and decongestants, including nasal sprays.
- Use a vaporizer or humidifier to add moisture to your bedroom.
- Use saline (saltwater) nasal washes to help keep your nasal passages open.
What is turbinate edema?
The turbinates are thin, bony plates inside your nose. Allergies or a lengthy cold can irritate them and cause them to swell, or enlarge. The swelling makes it hard for you to breathe. Another cause of the swelling is overuse of decongestant nasal sprays.
How long does it take for swollen turbinates to go away?
For less invasive turbinate reductions, recovery is usually quick and not very painful. In about three weeks, the new scar tissue in your nose should be completely healed. For the more invasive type of turbinate reduction surgery, recovery takes three to six months.
What is the function of turbinate bones?
The turbinates have three main functions. They warm the air we breathe, humidify this air as it passes through the nose, and the mucous layer of the turbinates assist in filtering particles such as dust and pollen. The turbinates, particularly the inferior, can block breathing when they are enlarged.
How long does it take for swelling to go down after turbinate reduction?
You might feel like your nose is congested following the surgery – this is often because of swelling and blood clots in the nose. This will improve when you start your nasal washes and when the swelling goes down – it takes about 2 weeks.
Can swollen turbinates go away on its own?
Turbinates can become swollen, enlarged, or displaced due to various reasons. Problems associated with turbinates may go away on their own or with medical treatment. In some cases, if medical treatment fails, surgical turbinate reduction is indicated.
What to expect during your turbinate reduction?
Recovery time for a turbinate reduction surgery is about 2 weeks. During this time, you will be prescribed antibiotics and a painkiller, although in many cases just Tylenol is sufficient for the pain as it is fairly mild. Within the first two weeks you may also experience some light bleeding through the nasal passages.
How successful is turbinate reduction?
A lack of turbinate tissue may cause the nasal cavity to become very dry and crusty. In some cases, a reduced turbinate may regrow, requiring a repeat surgery to reduce their size. In most cases, turbinate reductions are successful at opening the airways and making breathing easier.
What causes nasal turbinate swelling?
Congestion is a common cause of nasal turbinate swelling. This can be caused by allergies, infection or reactions to chemicals and toxins. Many over the counter remedies are available to treat these conditions at home.
What causes nasal turbinate hypertrophy?
Turbinate hypertrophy is associated with nosebleeds, chronic sinus infections and chronic sinusitis, each of which can be caused by a deviated septum. The nasal septum is a thin wall of bone and cartilage that separates your left and right nasal cavities.