RHINOLOGY

Improve your breathing – A healthy nasal function is essential for your health and quality of life

The nose is not only responsible for the sense of smell. It plays an important role in normal breathing, filtering and humidifying the air, and maintaining healthy upper airway function and sleep quality.

When the nose is constantly blocked or nasal breathing is impaired, people often start breathing through their mouth. This can lead to throat dryness, poor sleep quality, snoring, daytime fatigue and worsening of certain upper airway problems.

Chronic nasal obstruction can have several causes, including allergic rhinitis, deviated nasal septum, enlarged turbinates, nasal polyps and chronic rhinosinusitis.

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When should you see an ENT specialist?

An ENT assessment is recommended if you experience:

• Persistent nasal blockage
• Difficulty breathing through the nose
• Sleeping with your mouth open
• Snoring
• Frequent sinus infections
• Reduced sense of smell
• Frequent use of decongestant nasal sprays
• Symptoms that persist despite medical treatment

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Conditions treated

Rhinology involves the assessment and treatment of a wide range of nasal and sinus conditions, including:

Nasal breathing problems

• Deviated nasal septum
• Enlarged inferior turbinates
• Chronic nasal obstruction
• Mouth breathing

Inflammatory conditions of the nose and sinuses

• Allergic rhinitis
• Chronic rhinosinusitis (chronic sinusitis)
• Nasal polyps
• Rhinitis medicamentosa caused by excessive use of decongestant nasal sprays

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Nasal breathing self-assessment

Answer the following questions:

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☐ Do you often have difficulty breathing through your nose?

☐ Do you sleep with your mouth open?

☐ Do you snore or wake up with a dry mouth?

☐ Do you frequently feel that your nose is blocked?

☐ Do you often use decongestant nasal sprays to improve breathing?

☐ Have you noticed a reduced sense of smell?

☐ Do you suffer from recurrent sinus infections?

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If you answered “yes” to several of the above questions, an ENT assessment can help identify the cause of your symptoms and guide you towards the most appropriate treatment.