How is turbinate hypertrophy caused?

Written by Zhang Jun
Otolaryngology
Updated on September 01, 2024
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The most common cause of turbinates hypertrophy in clinical practice is chronic rhinitis. Chronic rhinitis is nasal symptoms caused by unresolved acute rhinitis. Patients will experience bilateral turbinates hypertrophy and poor contractile effects of the constrictor muscle. Patients will also experience alternating bilateral nasal congestion, which is lighter during physical activities in the day and more severe at night when it's quiet. In terms of treatment, patients need to initially take some proprietary Chinese medicines orally. Additionally, the nasal cavity needs to be treated with nebulized inhalation to alleviate local congestion and edema. Patients also need to exercise to restore the function of the turbinates mucous membrane to enhance immunity and resistance, and only then can allergic rhinitis be gradually cured. (Please use medication under the guidance of a professional physician, and do not self-medicate blindly.)

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Written by Zhang Jun
Otolaryngology
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Can running cure nasal turbinate hypertrophy?

Enlarged turbinates can be treated by running. Generally, this condition is commonly seen in chronic simple rhinitis. Chronic simple rhinitis is frequently found in adolescents and is caused by repeated episodes of acute rhinitis, resulting in symptoms related to the turbinates. Patients may experience bilateral nasal obstruction, which alternately fluctuates, and white mucoid secretions may also appear in the nasal cavity. Sometimes, patients may also experience facial swelling, pain, and headaches. During examination, significant congestion and edema of the bilateral nasal turbinate mucosa can be observed, along with abnormal secretions in the nasal cavity; vasoconstrictors are effective in this scenario. For treatment, patients can initially use nebulized inhalation therapy during the acute phase to alleviate congestion and edema of the turbinate mucosa. Moreover, exercising by running or swimming can gradually improve the function of the turbinate mucosa over a lengthy period. (Medication should be used under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Deng Bang Yu
Otolaryngology
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Can Chinese medicine cure hypertrophic turbinates?

Turbinate hypertrophy includes hypertrophy of the inferior and middle turbinates. Turbinate hypertrophy is mainly caused by chronic inflammation, which is rhinitis. The general treatment mainly involves medication, particularly local medications such as nasal corticosteroids and nasal vasoconstrictors that constrict blood vessels in the nasal mucosa. Traditional Chinese medicine can be somewhat effective, primarily involving aromatic herbs or proprietary Chinese medicines to provide some therapeutic effect; however, these are mostly used as supplementary treatments and should not be the primary medication. Moreover, their use should be under the guidance of a doctor. Additionally, a CT scan is needed for turbinate hypertrophy to assess if there is any bony enlargement of the turbinates; if there is, surgical treatment may need to be considered.

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Written by Li Rui
Otolaryngology
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Is surgery recommended for enlarged turbinates?

Nasal turbinate hypertrophy is a relatively common clinical presentation, with many possible causes. The most common causes include chronic rhinitis, acute rhinitis, and sinusitis, and it can also be due to osteogenic proliferation of the nasal conchae. After this condition occurs, it is first necessary to visit an otolaryngology department for a nasopharyngoscopy. Some patients may also need a CT scan to assess the severity of the condition. In terms of treatment, surgery is generally not considered first. Most patients can consider conservative treatment with medications, commonly using nasal spray drugs. The treatment period is generally about 1 to 2 weeks. If standardized medication treatment is ineffective, then surgery may be considered.

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Written by Deng Bang Yu
Otolaryngology
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Can hypertrophic turbinates be washed with saline?

Clinically, turbinate hypertrophy is primarily due to inflammatory diseases of the nasal cavity and sinuses, leading to congestion and edema of the nasal mucosa, thickening of the nasal mucosa, proliferation of the submucosal tissue, and even proliferation of the periosteum of the turbinate. Clinically, using saline solution to spray and clean the nasal cavity is a basic treatment for nasal inflammatory diseases, so turbinate hypertrophy can indeed be managed through the use of saline sprays. When spraying saline, care must be taken not to direct the spray at the turbinates directly, to avoid damaging the nasal mucosa. Typically, hypertonic saline is used, which helps maintain the stability of the nasal microenvironment and aids in restoring the nasal mucosa to its normal state. Generally, hypertonic saline is used, and other concentrations are not suitable.

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Written by Li Rui
Otolaryngology
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Is minimally invasive treatment effective for enlarged turbinates?

Turbinate hypertrophy primarily considers conservative medication in treatment aspects. However, a portion of patients does not respond well to medication and may need to consider minimally invasive surgery. One common procedure is endoscopic surgery, which can perform turbinate reduction ablation. Many patients gradually improve after surgery, and their clinical symptoms also diminish. However, individual differences in treatment outcomes still exist. Post-surgery, it is essential to regularly follow up and observe changes in the patient's condition. Additionally, some patients might need combined therapy involving oral and nasal spray medications and can benefit from nasal irrigation with saline solution as an adjunctive treatment. (Please follow the doctor's prescription when taking medications.)