The inferior turbinate is a bone in the nose that supports respiratory activity and has a large surface area of mucous membrane to cleanse and warm the air. It can be affected by sinus infections and may require surgery if it swells and obstructs breathing.
Medically called a “concha” – Latin for shell – because of its rounded, linear shape, an inferior turbinate is one of a group of bones around the nose that support respiratory activity. This group usually consists of three, or sometimes four, conchal bones arranged in shelf-like layers, with the largest lower bone popularly called the “inferior turbinate”. This nomenclature is due to the air purification functions of the basins, which appear to resemble those of turbines.
The turbinate bones are covered in a layer of sticky material, or mucous membrane, similar to a soggy sponge and covered in small, thin, thread-like filaments, called “cilia.” The cilia, which are in constant motion, work to move inhaled bacteria and other debris around the throat area, keeping them away from the lungs. Because the inferior turbinate is the largest bone, it provides the largest surface area of mucous membrane to cleanse and warm the air drawn into the lungs to a body temperature of 98.6°F (37°C).
The inferior turbinate connects to the nostril via an open passage near the bottom of the nose. It also connects to the maxilla, or maxillary bone, at the same location where the maxillary sinus opens into the nose. Because of this close proximity, if the maxillary sinus were to develop a sinus infection, it could also affect the inferior turbinate mucosa, which has a large surface area of mucous cells that can dry out and become infected.
Sinus inflammation can create facial pain due to blockage of the duct. Inflammation and blockage of the maxillary sinuses could cause pain around the inferior turbinate area in the inner cheek. Because sinus infections are usually due to viruses, they tend to clear up within a week or two. For ongoing facial pain, however, treatment by a doctor, such as an otolaryngologist, a doctor who specializes in treating ear, nose, and throat problems, is recommended.
Problems that can affect the inferior turbinates include allergic reactions or autoimmune diseases, in which the body attacks its own mucous cells rather than foreign organisms. The inferior turbinates may also swell from a reaction to airborne environmental toxins or from an unknown cause. This swelling can become so pronounced that it leads to an obstruction of breathing through the nose. In this case, surgery to reduce the size of the inferior turbinates, called a turbinoplasty, may be done.
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