External nasal dilators: definition, background, and current uses

Our goal was to revise the literature about external nasal dilators (ENDs) as to their definition, history, and current uses. We reviewed journals in the PubMed and MEDLINE databases. The current uses hereby presented and discussed are physical exercise, nasal congestion and sleep, snoring, pregnanc...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of general medicine 2014-01, Vol.7 (default), p.491-504
Main Authors: Dinardi, Ricardo Reis, de Andrade, Cláudia Ribeiro, Ibiapina, Cássio da Cunha
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acoustics
Athletes
Exercise
external nasal dilator
Fitness equipment
Heart rate
History
Identification and classification
nasal congestion
Nasal dilator strips
nasal resistance
nasal valve
Nose
Physical fitness
Physiology
Review
Sleep
Studies
Triathlon
Ventilation
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Summary:Our goal was to revise the literature about external nasal dilators (ENDs) as to their definition, history, and current uses. We reviewed journals in the PubMed and MEDLINE databases. The current uses hereby presented and discussed are physical exercise, nasal congestion and sleep, snoring, pregnancy, cancer, and healthy individuals. Numerous studies have shown that ENDs increase the cross-sectional area of the nasal valve, reducing nasal resistance and transnasal inspiratory pressure and stabilizing the lateral nasal vestibule, avoiding its collapse during final inspiration. These effects also facilitate breathing and are beneficial to patients with nasal obstruction. Furthermore, END use is simple, noninvasive, painless, affordable, and bears minimum risk to the user. Most studies have limited sample size and are mainly focused on physical exercise. In conclusion, ENDs seem useful, so further studies involving potential effects on the performance of physical tests and improvements in sleep quality are necessary, especially in children and teenagers.
ISSN:1178-7074
1178-7074
DOI:10.2147/IJGM.S67543