Position paper on nasal obstruction: evaluation and treatment

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Respiratory Medicine

Background:

• Nasal obstruction (NO) is a prevalent condition affecting 30%-40% of the population.
• It significantly impairs quality of life, particularly sleep, and reduces work efficiency.
• Causes are diverse, including anatomical, inflammatory, neurological, hormonal, functional, environmental, and pharmacological factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish consensus on the evaluation and diagnosis of nasal obstruction.
• To define an individualized treatment approach for nasal obstruction.
• To provide a methodology for managing nasal obstruction.

Main Methods:

• Diagnosis relies on thorough medical history and physical examination.
• Evaluation employs subjective tools (e.g., visual analog scale, questionnaires) and objective measures (e.g., rhinomanometry, acoustic rhinometry, peak nasal inspiratory flow).
• Quality of life assessment using disease-specific questionnaires is recommended.

Main Results:

• Nasal obstruction can be unilateral or bilateral, intermittent or persistent.
• Subjective and objective assessment methods are complementary, despite limited correlation.
• Treatment is cause-specific, primarily pharmacological for inflammatory/functional causes.

Conclusions:

• Individualized treatment plans are crucial for managing nasal obstruction.
• Pharmacological therapy is the mainstay for inflammatory or functional nasal obstruction.
• Surgery is considered when medical treatments are insufficient or not feasible, often in combination with medical management.