Turbinate reduction surgery corrects nasal obstruction by reducing the size of the turbinates inside the nose, creating more space for breathing.

Turbinates appear as ridges of tissue on the walls inside the nostrils. They warm, humidify, and filter the air as it flows through the nose.

They may become enlarged due to chronic irritation such as weather extremes, certain medications, hormonal changes, and more. Most people experience turbinate dysfunction at some point in their lives.

Turbinate hypertrophy (enlarged turbinates) can block breathing through the nose.

In a nasal turbinate reduction surgery, the ridged lining of the turbinate is left in place, but some of the inner tissue is removed to simply reduce its size and relieve airflow obstruction.

Doing so can alleviate your symptoms while preserving the function of the turbinate to moisturize and filter the air you breathe.