A Nose By Any Other Name....

Hi there! 

I'd like you to do an exercise for me.  

Take a good, long, deep breath... through your nose.  

Was that difficult?  If not, good.  If it was, well, this post's for you.

  

I'm writing about nasal breathing because in researching myofunctional therapy I discovered that your ability to breath through your nose, as opposed to your mouth, not only affects multiple aspects of orofacial functioning but your overall health as well.  

Now, the benefits of nasal breathing over mouth breathing are QUITE extensive so rather than me list all of them I'm going to give you a link to a website that does it for me: Benefits of Nasal Breathing (from Breathing.com). Here too is an article that outlines the detrimental effects of mouth breathing: Adverse effects on facial growth, health, academics, and behavior.  

Also, for any parents or relatives of small children reading this post, check THIS out: Blocked Nose Linked to ADHD. The link to download the ebook doesn't seem to be working but you can find the book on Amazon.  

At this point, let me tell you about my experience with transitioning from mouth breath to nasal breathing.  

First, you should know that people become mouth breathers for different reasons.  In many - if not most - cases, there are issues with the nasal passages: inflammation from allergies, rhinitis; deviated septum; asthma; bony growths that impede airways; enlarged tonsils.  For some people, mouth breathing is simply a habit the developed as a child and never grew out of.  
In my case, I was not a chronic mouth breather.  I certainly understood that mouth breathing is unattractive and so I would endeavor to keep my mouth closed.  However, there were times when it was difficult, such as when my allergies acted up.  Plus, I also suspect I have a deviated septum since my left sinus always feels more constricted than my right. In any case, nasal breathing could be difficult for me.  It's hard to say what the exact cause was but my tongue tie likely factored into my mouth breathing.  

Many tongue tied people are mouth breathers in part because we can't keep our tongues up on the spot.  So, when we sleep at night are mouth drops open and we breathe that way.  When we mouth breathe, our mouths and throat dry up and our tonsils become irritated and enlarged.  Enlarged tonsils make it even more difficult for the tongue to sit back away from the front of the mouth, therefore exacerbating the tongue thrust.  For those with prominent tongue thrusts, keeping the mouth open is more comfortable than keeping it closed. 

For years when I went to the doctor I was told I had enlarged tonsils.  No one knew why and no one suggested it had anything to do with my sinuses or breathing.  

When we become accustomed to mouth breathing, a vicious cycle ensues: our sinuses become irritated because we are NOT breathing through them!  Nasal breathing clears out mucous.  When we don't breathe through our noses, this mucous becomes stuck in the sinuses, irritating the tissues, causing inflammation... and making it difficult to breathe through our nose! 

So how did I break the cycle? Well, in my case, I did two things:  

I started using Nozovent and I started taping my lips shut when I slept.  

Once again, please consult with a doctor regarding the information I am presenting here.  I am not a doctor and am not recommending anyone try any techniques I mention.  This post is for me to disseminate information that many people are not aware of - Lord knows I wasn't aware of it before I started on this path!  

Nozovent is a device you put in your nose while you sleep in order to open up the nasal passages.  It can be bought from nosnorezone.com.  For me, it was much more effective than Breathe Right Nasal Strips but that's not to say that Breathe Right Strips are not effective for other people.  I use a size small.  You can purchase sets with two difference sized Nozovents so you can figure out which one works best for you.

As I said before, I also tape my lips shut at night as per the Buteyko Technique using Nexcare Paper Tape - also known as surgical tape.  This technique is not new.  In fact, lip taping is also used to treat snoring: Snoring Remedies.

It was important for me to use the Nozovent in conjunction with the tape because lip taping wasn't going to help if I couldn't breathe through my nose at all!!  When I fist started taping, I used more tape than shown on the Buteyko website.  I taped in an 'X' formation across my lips with a horizintal piece straight across to hold my lower lip up.  Now, I can use a single vertical strip. 

The difference I experienced from using these methods was almost immediate.  Since I have been using the Nozovent and lip taping I have been sleeping... like a baby.  I used to toss and turn during the night, wake up at least once or twice.  It took me a half hour or more just to fall asleep!  NOW: I fall asleep within minutes and I stay asleep.  If I fall asleep on my left side, I wake up on my left side. 

Gone is my daytime sleepiness.  Gone are the dark circles under my eyes.  Gone also is the 'trout pout' I woke up with every day - my lower face and lips puffy from mouth breathing and occasional drooling.  Sexy, huh?  Also, I can breathe through my nose easier.  In fact, I breathe through my nose 99% of the time, even during strenuous activity! Occasionally, my allergies get the better of me so I plan on seeing an ENT at some point to determine if I do indeed have a deviated septum and to see if there's anything that can done about it. 

Now, the Nozovent does leave the insides of my nostrils a little sore in the morning and when I first take it out my nostrils are wider than usual but they 'retract' after a while.  The tape comes off quite easily and does not irritate my sensitive skin. 

You should know, that it's not the most attractive look to sleep with a Nozovent in your nose and tape on your lips... I have endured my share of teasing from my significant other.  HOWEVER it's even less attractive to wake up with puffy lips, dark circles and bags under your eyes, and spend your day constantly complaining about being tired.  So, I will gladly sacrifice a little of my nighttime vanity for better health.  

I would also like to mention that while the Breathe Right Nasal Strips did not help me to breathe better while sleeping I do wear them at the gym and find them quite effective that way.  
Well, that's it for now.  Hope this has been helpful!

-KP