Being able to breathe correctly and with high quality is very important for human health. The oxygen that enters our body when we breathe is the main energy source of our life. Oxygen going to all tissues directly affects our life and health. Chronic diseases occur in the long term in people who cannot breathe well enough and have nasal congestion. The beauty of our skin is determined by the aging process of our internal organs and the oxygen we take into our body. The first step of being able to breathe properly is to have a healthy nose.

Correct breathing is always breathing through the nose. It has an importance that affects our entire body rhythm and chemistry. The nerve and vascular networks passing through the nose affect the brain waves with the right breath we take. We can be calmer and more peaceful or more aggressive and unhappy. When we breathe properly, we feel calmer and better. One of the most important factors that determine our immunity is the breath we take. Nasal congestion and wrong breathing increase stress. This reduces our body's ability to fight diseases. There may be diseases such as nose and breathing problems, sinusitis under frequent headache and migraine attacks. And you can get rid of your headaches by solving your breathing problem when you least expect it. Dry mouth, night snoring, frequent sore throat are the most common findings in people who constantly breathe through their mouths. Night sleep quality is affected by the degree of nasal congestion. Especially in some people, snoring with nasal congestion causes sleep apnea. The person feels constant fatigue and weakness throughout the day. The success of the work during the day is affected because the sleep cannot be productive at night. Concentration and distraction occur. In cases where sleep apnea is severe, metabolic syndrome findings such as chronic cardiovascular diseases and overweight occur.

Breathing through the mouth causes drying in all upper and lower respiratory tracts, starting from the mouth, and this creates a predisposing factor for many diseases such as pharyngitis, laryngitis, bronchitis and asthma. In people who have very frequent upper respiratory tract infections, mouth breathing and nasal congestion are the most common causes. I explain this to my patients as follows; Just as when we put a stone in a flowing water, it collects moss and contains microbes, if there is a congestion in the nose, there is definitely inflammation and infection. Frequent sinusitis attacks, yellow-green nasal discharge, burning in the throat and cough complaints occur. In people who are sick frequently, the nose should be checked and if there is congestion, it should be treated. It is divided into two parts by the septum, which we call the middle bone of the nose. In the right and left nose, there are turbinates, which we call the nasal flesh, that heat and filter the inhaled air.

The most common cause of nasal obstruction is a curved anterior or posterior septum that divides the nose into two. These curvatures are usually as a result of pressing the face while leaving the mother's womb during birth; It occurs as a result of the development of curves during growth of cartilage cracks that occur in the neonatal period. Nasal bone curvatures may occur in subsequent blows to the nose. Apart from this, the other most common reason is that the nasal concha is larger than normal or enlarged over time. Structurally, in some people, the turbinates, called nasal flesh, are larger than normal. In those who have allergic complaints or have frequent sinusitis attacks, enlargement of the nasal concha is often seen over time. These patients often have nighttime sleep-displaced congestion. Sometimes the right of the nose is blocked, sometimes the left. This is normally a natural rhythm. According to the direction we lie down, the nasal flesh swells or shrinks. This situation becomes noticeable in patients with swollen nasal meats. More disturbance in sleep occurs at night.

Among the causes of nasal congestion, allergic complaints are common. Although the anatomy of the nose is problem-free, allergy alone is the cause of congestion. Frequent sneezing, itching, burning in the nose and a constant inward discharge in the throat during seasonal changes indicate that you have allergic rhinitis. It should definitely be seen and evaluated by an otolaryngologist. Allergy usually starts between the ages of 20-30. Unfortunately, with the increase in artificial foods and additives in recent years, we see allergy problems at younger ages. In the majority of patients, asthma also accompanies in later ages. When allergic asthma is combined with nasal congestion, it creates serious health problems. In patients with both asthma and nasal congestion, nasal congestion should be resolved and treated first.

The most common method in the treatment of nasal congestion is to correct the curvature of the nose with the method we call septoplasty under general anesthesia. A small area is opened in the inner part of the nose with a closed technique, and the curvatures on both sides of the right and left sides are corrected through that opening. In patients with nasal enlargement, it is possible to get rid of nasal congestion in a 10-minute procedure without putting the patients to sleep with the method we call Radiofrequency, with local anesthesia. Since silicone tampons are used today after surgery, tampon removal is definitely not a painful procedure. It does not cause pain like the gauze tampons used in the past, and the space in the middle allows you to breathe after the surgery. Therefore, silicone tampons are more comfortable and painless. When we apply radiofrequency to intranasal meats, there is no need for tampons and we can usually send the patient home on the same day.

Having a smooth nasal septum is the first condition for healthy breathing. These curvatures in the nasal septum cause severe nasal congestion, alone or together with other causes of nasal obstruction. In addition, these curvatures in the septum cause the formation of a "curved nose" on the outside of the nose. The patient cannot breathe because of nasal congestion, cannot sleep comfortably, and his external appearance deteriorates, and he may experience social problems such as self-confidence, shyness and being a laughing stock. In some cases, the curvature of the nose is advanced and visible from the outside. When this happens, we need to correct the nasal bone with the open technique. It is not possible to correct the curvatures close to the upper roof of the nose with the closed technique. With the open technique, we expose the nasal bone and bring it to the midline. In this case, the external curvature of the patient is also corrected. In the middle line, it has a straight and healthy nose from the outside. If those who do sports for a healthy life are out of breath and their physical performance is affected, if they have trouble sleeping at night, snoring, and suffer from frequent headaches, they should definitely apply to an Ear Nose and Throat specialist for a better quality of life and breathing. A healthy nose is the first condition for healthy breathing. I wish everyone healthy breathing and healthy bodies.