Turbinate Hypertrophy

Turbinate hypertrophy refers to an excessive growth or enlargement of the bony structures located inside of the nose. These structures are covered with a special skin called mucosa and they help filter, warm, and humidify the air as you breath. The mucosa naturally swells during the normal nasal cycle, when you lie down and in response to allergens or other irritants. If these turbinates become enlarged, breathing can become more difficult.

Signs and symptoms

Symptoms of turbinate hypertrophy can include:

• Congestion or congestion when lying down
• Difficulty breathing
• Noisy or loud breathing
• Stuffiness and increased nasal drainage

Causes

Turbinate hypertrophy is caused when the mucosa becomes enlarged or swollen. This can be chronic or acute and can be caused by conditions including:

• Hormonal changes
• Medications
• Rhinitis
• Sinus infections
• The common cold

Treatment

Treating turbinate hypertrophy will depend on the specific cause. See your primary care provider or one of our ENT specialists to diagnose what may be causing the turbinate hypertrophy and coming up with an appropriate treatment plan.

Medicine

Medications are often the first step to help reduce your symptoms. Medications can include:

• Allergy medications if your symptoms are caused by allergic rhinitis
• Nasal antihistamine sprays
• Nasal saline sprays or rinses
• Steroid sprays

Surgery

If medications do not help improve your symptoms, surgery may be used to decrease the size of the turbinates. The surgery is usually performed through the nostrils and can be performed under local or general anesthesia as an outpatient procedure. The procedure may be combined with other procedures to reduce nasal obstruction like a septoplasty to address a deviated septum.