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Treating Hypertrophic Turbinates with Nose Surgery

When a person is battling with chronic allergies that are untreated, it can lead to symptoms of nasal airway obstruction. The underlying cause of this is frequently a condition referred to as turbinate hypertrophy. Nose surgery is often used to correct this condition.

The turbinates are a part of our respiratory system that most people are unaware of. However, they perform a vital job. Their job involves filtering the air we breathe, warming the air we breathe and shaping the way the air enters our respiratory system. The turbinates are located in the nasal cavity. They work in pairs.

Hypertrophy is a term that describes the increase in the size of an organ or the increase in the size of a group of tissue. So, the term turbinate hypertrophy describes the enlargement of your turbinates.

Turbinate hypertrophy is relatively common. Most people will experience it at some time or another in their life. It often occurs when a person is battling allergies or a strong cold. When it happens, a person may find it difficult to breathe through one side of their nose.

In chronic cases, a sufferer is left with prolonged nasal congestion. They may also experience facial pain and pressure in their forehead.

It can be easy to confuse turbinate hypertrophy symptoms with allergy symptoms. This is especially true for individuals who have suffered from this condition for an extended period of time and have learned to tolerate their symptoms.

It is important to understand that turbinate hypertrophy is not limited to individuals suffering from allergies. If a person has an upper respiratory infection, hormone fluctuations, experiences changes in temperature or has allergic rhinitis, they may suffer from turbinate hypertrophy.

Conventional therapies include the use of medication to control turbinate hypertrophy. However, when medication does not work, nose surgery may be needed.

It can be a challenge to figure out whether or not you have turbinate hypertrophy or if you have simple allergy symptoms. It can also be a challenge to determine what steps need to be taken in order to treat your symptoms. This is one of the many reasons why it is important that you visit a qualified ENT.

During a consultation at Ayala ENT & Facial Plastic Surgery in McAllen, Dr. Ayala can examine your case and determine if nose surgery is necessary or if the condition can be fixed with a less invasive treatment method. If the decision is to perform surgery, the goal of the surgery is to reduce the size of the turbinates, thereby increasing the size of your nasal airway. There are a wide range of surgical options available.

Contact us today to schedule an appointment to learn more.