Will Rhinoplasty Correct My Breathing?

Many Houston men and women think of rhinoplasty as a purely aesthetic procedure. After all, rhinoplasty is often performed to change an unattractive looking nose, correct a crooked nose or otherwise make your nose fit better with your facial features. However, functional rhinoplasty is a very common procedure, one that many Houston men and women undergo to correct breathing problems. Read on to learn more about functional rhinoplasty and how Dr. Craig & Dr. Fusi can help you with this procedure.

How Do I Know if I Need Functional Rhinoplasty?

One of the most common questions that Dr. Craig & Dr. Fusi get during functional rhinoplasty consultations is whether or not this procedure is right for the patient. If you have trouble breathing, you may be experiencing certain symptoms such as:

• Nasal congestion;
• Mouth breathing (particularly at night);
• Dry mouth;
• A reduced sense of smell;
• Recurring nosebleeds;
• Repeated sinus infections;
• Sinus pressure headaches;
• Eustachian tube dysfunction; and
• Sleeping problems.

If the underlying cause of these symptoms is the internal structure of your nose, then functional rhinoplasty can alleviate these symptoms. And, if you don’t address these problems, they can lead to more serious conditions such as insomnia, hypertension, sleep apnea and heart disease.

What Kind of Nasal Conditions Does Functional Rhinoplasty Address?

Functional rhinoplasty can address many nasal conditions, including:

• A deviated septum, in which the dividing wall between the left and right nasal passages is bent, bowed or twisted. If you have a deviated septum, then you will have a blockage in one or both of the air passages. Functional rhinoplasty can be performed to straighten out the deviated septum and restore proper air flow to both the left and right sides of the nose.
• Reducing enlarged turbinates, which are shelves of mucous membrane that exist throughout the internal nasal cavity. Your three nasal turbinates are located on the outer wall of each nasal passage and are referred to as the superior, middle and inferior turbinates. Breathing problems caused by deformed nasal turbinates include concha bullosa, in which the middle nasal turbinate develops air pockets and hypertrophy of the inferior turbinate. Houston plastic surgeons Dr. Fusi & Dr. Craig can perform functional rhinoplasty to resolve both of these conditions.
• Nasal polyp removal, in which benign, grape-like growths that obstruct breathing are surgically removed via functional rhinoplasty. However, Houston functional rhinoplasty patients should be advised that there is a risk that nasal polyps will grow back.
• Nasal valve collapse, in which the narrowest passageway of the nose collapses either with heavy breathing (such as during exercise) or with normal breathing.

I Think I Need Functional Rhinoplasty.  What Do I Do Next?

If you have chronic breathing problems, and you think that functional rhinoplasty may be the right solution for you, then reach out to Dr. Fusi and Dr. Craig for their expert, medical opinion. Both doctors have studied under world-renown rhinoplasty expert Dr. Rod Rodrich and have years of experience of helping Houston patients resolve breathing problems. Call today to schedule your consultation at (713) 346-9909.