Is nasal irrigation useful for enlarged turbinates?

Written by Zhang Jun
Otolaryngology
Updated on January 14, 2025
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Treatment of inferior turbinate hypertrophy with a nasal rinse device is effective as it can clean the bacteria, dust, and allergens from the surface of the turbinates, and can act to shrink the turbinates. However, patients should not rely solely on the nasal rinse device to treat turbinate hypertrophy, as it is generally seen in chronic rhinitis. Chronic rhinitis is caused by long-term chronic inflammation due to lowered immunity, leading to bilateral turbinate mucosal congestion, edema, hyperplasia, and exudation. This can cause patients to experience alternating nasal congestion, facial swelling pain, headaches, and other clinical manifestations. In treatment, patients also need to use Biyankang, which has good therapeutic effects; consult a local physician for specific dosages. Additionally, nebulized inhalation should be used to shrink the turbinates and restore nasal patency. Using the nasal rinse device for daily washing can regularly shrink and dilate the turbinates, achieving certain effectiveness.

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Written by Xu Qing Tian
Otolaryngology
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What medicine should be taken for hypertrophic turbinates?

Nasal turbinate hypertrophy is a common and frequent disease in otolaryngology, mainly involving enlargement of the middle and inferior turbinates. Patients often develop bony, bubble-like formations in the middle turbinate, causing symptoms such as nasal congestion, contact headache, nasal itchiness, and runny nose. For patients with nasal turbinate hypertrophy, who often also suffer from sinusitis or chronic rhinitis, treatment primarily involves local anti-inflammatory measures. Additionally, the use of corticosteroid nasal sprays can help reduce swelling of the nasal mucosa and aid in relieving nasal congestion. (Please use medication under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Li Rui
Otolaryngology
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The difference between nasal polyps and hypertrophy of the turbinates.

Nasal polyps and hypertrophic turbinates have fundamental differences. Firstly, these are two different types of diseases. Nasal polyps are neoplasms that grow within the nasal cavity, whereas hypertrophic turbinates are primarily caused by hyperplasia or thickening of the mucous membrane of the existing turbinates, which is not considered a neoplasm within the nasal cavity. The causes of nasal polyps are not particularly clear. Treatment primarily involves medication, but surgery may be considered if there are numerous polyps. Hypertrophic turbinates are mainly caused by proliferative inflammatory responses in the mucous membranes, and medication is generally considered for this condition. Overall, the effectiveness of medication is relatively certain, with only a small portion of patients requiring surgical intervention.

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Written by Deng Bang Yu
Otolaryngology
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Symptoms and Treatment Methods of Turbinate Hypertrophy

Turbinate hypertrophy, clinically, is mainly hypertrophy of the inferior turbinate, although the middle turbinate can also become enlarged. The hypertrophy of the middle turbinate is primarily related to the development of the turbinate itself. Hypertrophy of the inferior turbinate is more common in clinical practice. Its symptoms mainly manifest as nasal congestion, as the enlarged turbinate blocks the nasal passages. Secondly, turbinate hypertrophy can sometimes irritate the nerves of the local septal mucosal tissue, causing headaches and subsequent symptoms like sinusitis. Clinical treatment for turbinate hypertrophy primarily involves medication, including the use of nasal spray drugs and traditional Chinese medicine. A sinus CT scan can be conducted to evaluate the extent of turbinate bone hypertrophy. If there is bony hypertrophy of the turbinate, surgery under endoscopy might be considered.

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Written by Li Rui
Otolaryngology
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Nasal turbinate hypertrophy treatment methods

Nasal turbinate hypertrophy is considered a clinical symptom rather than an independent disease. There are many causes for nasal turbinate hypertrophy, including physiological hypertrophy, chronic rhinitis, acute rhinitis, sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, or exposure to external irritants. In terms of treatment, it is first necessary to examine the clinical symptoms. If it is only simple turbinate hypertrophy without any clinical manifestations, it is generally recommended to regularly check up without necessarily needing medication. If the hypertrophy is due to an inflammatory response with clear clinical symptoms, it may be necessary to consider the use of oral medications, nasal spray medications, and flushing the nasal cavity with saline solution, with regular check-ups to monitor the condition.

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Written by Deng Bang Yu
Otolaryngology
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Dangers of Enlarged Turbinates

The enlargement, mainly including our inferior turbinate, middle turbinate, and superior turbinate, with the enlargement of the inferior turbinate being the most common clinically. Enlargement of the inferior turbinate can lead to obstruction of our nasal cavity, and then affect our ventilation and sense of smell, etc. Generally speaking, turbinate enlargement has a certain impact on the function of our nasal cavity or our respiratory function. However, the harmfulness of this impact is relatively not very severe, but it does cause us a lot of discomfort, or lead to issues like snoring and hypoxia due to nasal congestion. Compared to other serious diseases, its harmfulness is relatively minor, but that does not mean it does not require treatment. If turbinate enlargement causes nasal congestion and affects breathing, active treatment is still needed.