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Nasal airflow: resistance and sensation
A S Jones1, D J Willatt, L M Durham
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Liverpool.
The Journal of Laryngology and Otology
|October 1, 1989
Summary
Nasal resistance to airflow, measured objectively, does not correlate with a person's subjective sensation of breathing. These two aspects of nasal patency appear to be separate physiological experiences.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Rhinology
- Respiratory Physiology
Background:
- Nasal resistance to airflow, assessed via rhinomanometry, has traditionally served as the objective standard for nasal patency.
- Recent observations suggest that objective nasal resistance may not accurately reflect a patient's subjective experience of nasal airflow.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between objective nasal resistance to airflow and subjective nasal sensation of airflow.
- To determine if these two parameters are directly correlated in a large cohort.
Main Methods:
- Conducted 500 estimations of nasal resistance to airflow using rhinomanometry.
- Simultaneously assessed subjective nasal sensation of airflow in the same participants.
Main Results:
- No statistically significant correlation was found between objective nasal resistance to airflow and subjective nasal sensation of airflow.
- The study demonstrates that these two measures are independent modalities.
Conclusions:
- Objective nasal resistance and subjective nasal sensation are distinct physiological experiences.
- Findings challenge the long-held assumption that rhinomanometry alone fully represents nasal patency.
- Further research is warranted to understand the factors influencing nasal sensation.