@joannap- the epithelium in the nose is different than skin on the body, this is true. However it still has sensitivities just as regular skin on the body. It is actually more delicate as it performs many functions. In saying that everyone can have a different reaction to nasal sprays, just as people can have different skin reactions to lotions, creams etc...placed on the body.
“Visually” to the ENT your sons turbinates could have looked enlarged to him. If the sprays decreased tissue volume in a way that is not comfortable or conducive to how your son was used to feeling or sensing air before this may be what he is experiencing. A sensation of being too open for him. The nose congests, expands and contracts all day long, it’s a natural part of the nasal cycle. If your son is not feeling this natural congestion if his turbinates are now smaller, this may also be what he is feeling. The nose is a very subjective place. With many nerves and reasons for tissue changes. That’s why it is really challenging to match subjective to objective symptoms.
ENTs are only focused with making a clear air pathway. However the subjective feeling/sensation of openness will ever only come from what the patient is feeling and not what the doctors are seeing. They can only ever look at someone and say “I see where you are blocked”. Even though they “see” a blockage, that may not truly be the issue for the patient. Once enlargements or blockages are removed, relieved or open, they will only see a clear open pathway and not understand what the problem is. Skin sensation can not be visualized as well. They can assess for atrophy, inflammation, pailness, dryness. If you can meet with an ENT who will spend enough time understanding and truly assessing the nasal mucosa that would be a start. It sounds like the turbinates are not contesting, expanding or contracting as they should, therefore causing a feeling of suffocation and openness. Otherwise I would work with a natural path for restoration. Focus on really good nutrients and hydration. As well as the distress. The stress can bring more attention to the area which causes a cycle. I really emphasize finding a provider who understands what he is explaining. The provider has to understand that the suffocation feeling is not from a blocked nose, but is from lack of sensation of air passing along the lateral wall. The way we sense airflow is the shear wall stress between the lateral nasal wall and septum. This requires tight functioning pathways, not made larger or more open.