Nasal cycle
The nasal cycle is a reciprocal swelling ( obstruction ) of the turbinates without external stimulus. The process occurs in around 80 percent of people and is used to regenerate the nasal mucosa . It is controlled by the hypothalamus , which regulates the sympathetic tone.
The effect was first described in 1895 by Richard Kayser, a doctor in Breslau .
function
The swollen state is called the work phase; in this a lot of air flows through the nasal cavity. Turbulence increases so that the air we breathe can be moistened better.
If one side is swollen, it is in the resting phase; in this, less air gets through the nasal cavity and the formation of turbulence is reduced. This reduces the contact between the breath and the mucous membrane, which can then store energy and moisture.
description
In healthy people, the cycle lasts between 30 minutes and 14 hours, an average of 2.4 hours. There is not much difference between day and night. The ratio of the air flow between the work and rest phase is significantly greater at night than during the day.
People with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome show a different dependence of the cycle on body position than control groups. This can be justified with the increased sympathetic tone of the patients. In over 80% of those affected, the turbinate swells on the side of the body on which the person lies.
meaning
Today in the English-language specialist literature there is a series of studies on the manipulation of the nasal cycle through forced unilateral nostril ventilation and the physiological and psychological effects achieved thereby.
swell
- ↑ To the nasal cycle on werkann-das-wissen.de.
- ↑ a b c Reinefeld, Vanessa: Rhinoresistometric and acoustic-rhinometric investigations on the effectiveness of Nd: YAG-Lasermuschelkaustik , dissertation at the Free University of Berlin, accessed on July 31, 2017.
- ↑ a b c The nasal cycle in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome: a comparative, prospective study with polysomnography and long-term flowmetry. In: Laryngo-Rhino-Otol 2004; 83 - 22_5.
- ↑ Richard Kayser: The exact measurement of the air permeability of the nose. Arch. Laryng. Rhinol. (Berl.) 8, 101 (1895).
- ↑ DS Shannahoff-Khalsa: Selective Unilateral Autonomic Activation: Implications for Psychiatry. CNS Spectr. 2007, 12 (8): 625-634.