Too much cold air entering the nostrils

Yeah I'm not really sure what's going on my symptoms are fluctuating but thankfully I feel much better than I did a few weeks ago. I'm watching my diet for now and monitoring my symptoms, diet and behaviour. That's all I can do really.

If things don't improve significantly in a few months I may consider the Stem cell injections.
What do you think?

I think I know what happens. I think my lowest turbinates dysfunction. Is there a way to fix it?

According to the article snippet. "Inferior nasal turbinates are located inside your nose on either side of your nasal septum. They are bone covered with erectile soft tissue that helps create turbulence inside the nose to warm, purify and humidify the air that we breathe. The soft tissue covering expands and contracts which can give you the sensation of congestion and clear breathing, respectively."

Hi @learningstudent and everybody else suffering from similar symptoms.

My son has had problems with his breathing since last autumn 2020. He has a deviated septum and he was looking for help from an ENT. He got prescribet nasal corticosteroids (Mometasone) and after using the nasal spray for two months he claims that he has lost the sensation of air flowing in his nose. He can't also feel the temprature differences, e.g. if the air is cold. The condition is a little bit different from yours, but my guess would also be that it has something to do with the dysfunction of the turbinates.

Could there be one factor that would explain these strange symptoms? Have you used any nasal sprays before your problem started?

Have you or anybody found any alleviating solutions or answers?

I would very much appreciate your answer and hope your condition has got better.

Hi @learningstudent and everybody else suffering from similar symptoms.

My son has had problems with his breathing since last autumn 2020. He has a deviated septum and he was looking for help from an ENT. He got prescribet nasal corticosteroids (Mometasone) and after using the nasal spray for two months he claims that he has lost the sensation of air flowing in his nose. He can't also feel the temprature differences, e.g. if the air is cold. The condition is a little bit different from yours, but my guess would also be that it has something to do with the dysfunction of the turbinates.

Could there be one factor that would explain these strange symptoms? Have you used any nasal sprays before your problem started?

Have you or anybody found any alleviating solutions or answers?

I would very much appreciate your answer and hope your condition has got better.

Hello @joannap, Welcome to Connect. I think it's bad enough when we have to deal with these types of problems ourselves but to watch our kids struggle with it is even worse. I also have a deviated septum that I've put up with all my life but I'm 78. I was considering a septoplasty but wanted a non surgical solution due to risk factors involved.

I met with my Mayo ENT and he prescribed a Mayo Clinic proprietary nasal spray with 3 ingredients -- Mometasone to reduce inflammation, Ipratropium to reduce nasal drainage and Diphenhydramine which is an antihistamine to help reduce nasal drainage. The product description on my prescription is MOMET 0.033% – IPRA 0.02% – DIPH 0.02%. I do a nasal rinse mornings and evenings followed by 2 sprays in each nostril. I'm into my 3rd month using the spray and nasal rinse and it has done an amazing job helping my breathing through my right nostril which was mostly always plugged. My ENT wanted me to try it for 3 months to see if it helps.

I've used saline solution sprays, Flonase and Fluticasone Proprionate in the past without much success. The propriety nasal spray along with the twice daily nasal rinse seems to be helping me but I'm also thinking I'm not sure I want to use it long term due to possible side effects so will have that discussion with my ENT soon.

Here's some information on Mometasone Nasal Spray and side effects: https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a602024.html

Have you discussed your son's strange symptoms with his ENT doctor?

Many thanks you for your answer. My son has no allergies and the ENT prescribed the corticosteroid because he thought the turbines were swallen or otherwise to big. My son stopped using the spray aa soon he noticed something was not ok. We never could have imagined that a simple nasal spray could be so poten and apparently harmful.

If the mucosa has been damaged or shrunken, can we expect it to heal and what should we do to make it better? In addition my son has a skin with a tendency to keloid scarring. Could this happening inside the nose?

My son is quite distressed with this feeling on no air and has also the feeling of suffocating from time to time. I would appreciate your answer very much.

@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.

@joannap-you mentioned you saw a provider who is an expert in ENS. I’m curious as whom this provider is and if they could possibly help others experiencing this? I have yet to hear of a provider who is an expert in ENS. It would be helpful to make contact.

@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.