Nasal Obstruction
If you routinely experience interrupted sleep, fatigue, habitual snoring, or difficulty breathing through your nose, you may have nasal obstruction. This is described as an anatomical blockage that forms due to how the inner structure of your nasal passageway has formed. As a result, you may feel as if your nose is always congested or blocked, and airflow is significantly hindered.
What Causes Nasal Obstruction?
The narrowest part of the nasal airway is called the nasal valve. The nasal valve located in your nasal passage is formed by the septum, the turbinates, and the lateral wall. The septum is the narrow ridge of cartilage and bone that runs down the inner center of your nose, dividing the nasal passages into left and right sides. The turbinates are finger-like areas of tissue which warm and humidify the air we breathe. The lateral wall is the outer wall of your nose formed by cartilage. If any of these structures are enlarged or deformed, they can lead to obstruction that reduces airflow.
Why Traditional Treatments Don’t Work for Nasal Obstruction
It is likely that you’ve tried to remedy the breathing issue with nasal decongestants, nasal sprays, or even breathing strips. While these can provide temporary relief from nasal congestion, and snoring, they don’t provide you with a permanent solution. Another option is to get nasal surgery, but this may require anesthesia and require a recovery period.. An alternative treatment option now available is VivAer.
What is VivAer, and How Does it Work?
The VivAer procedure uses controlled bursts of low-temperature radiofrequency energy from the tip of a stylus to reshape the nasal valve. This gently and permanently opens up your airways to allow more air to pass through unhindered. This relatively brief office procedure doesn’t involve incisions of any kind, and therefore recovery is quick and painless.
What Advantages Does VivAer Have?
When compared to traditional remedies and nasal surgery, VivAer poses some distinct advantages, such as:
Who Could Benefit From VivAer?
The VivAer procedure can benefit almost anyone with constricted nasal airways, or who suffer from chronic nasal obstruction. A simple test you can try at home is to place your fingers on either side of the bridge of your nose, then drag your fingers along your cheeks, just under your eyes. Now, try to breathe in while dragging. If you found it even a little easier to breathe while doing this, VivAer may be able to help you experience that feeling permanently.
How Safe is the VivAer Procedure?
A 2019 study in Laryngoscope Investigative Otolaryngology (V4/I2), studied 50 adult patients diagnosed with dynamic or static internal nasal valve obstruction, and provided a bilateral radio-frequency treatment under local anesthesia. There were no device or procedure-related adverse symptoms, and all patients reported remarkable satisfaction at the 26-week post-treatment timepoint.
Looking to Breathe Better and Live Better?
If you are interested in eliminating the fatigue, snoring, difficulty breathing, and interrupted sleep that results from nasal obstructions, please give FlotoGroup a call at 407-677-0099 or schedule a consultation with one of our expert otolaryngologists. Let us help you breathe better!
