Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

everything_in_sync t1_j1ixzqr wrote

Reply to comment by przyssawka in What specifically about ginger/menthol/wasabi causes one's sinuses to open? by Bartendiesthrowaway

Is that why I feel like I can take deeper fresh breathes walking outside on a cold morning after a snowfall?

Would that also mean that the sense5 commercials were accurate and I should skydive during an alaskan winter for optimal freshness?

165

przyssawka t1_j1izih5 wrote

yes. For the first question at least. Never skydived in winter.

*Subjective* nasal patency (the perception of airflow) and nasal airflow are two completely different things. The study I posted compares effects of different air conditions on the perception of airflow. Cold air (or rather "heat loss by mucosa") was consistently the best way to evoke the feeling of decongestion. None of the conditions improved the actual flow.

This direpacy between the flow and perception can also cause the adverse effect for patients who underwent concha reduction surgery (conchoplasty) or Endoscopic Sinus Surgery, to suffer from "empty nose syndrome", which is the subjective feeling of low nasal patency with optimal airflow.

85

Feminist_Hugh_Hefner t1_j1jduhc wrote

interesting study.

a minor point, "patency" is the "openness" of the airway, without regard to how it is measured. The authors use "subjective nasal patency" to discuss the reported sensation and just say "airflow" when they are talking about flow measured by rhinomanometry

good find and very interesting points in there, including the lack of understanding on where, exactly, cold sensory areas are located, and the question that menthol may have a direct effect on lowering respiratory drive

17

Thetakishi t1_j1kc8vc wrote

Thanks for the study. Extremely interesting and partially worrying as I've considered seeing someone about my turbinates, although I have heard about empty nose syndrome before.

5

ratherenjoysbass t1_j1k6pao wrote

Well cold air will constrict blood vessels which will reduce swelling a bit so that is part of it

2