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Nasal cycle
Subconscious alternation of the nasal cavities / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the natural partial congestion of the nose. For nasal congestion as a symptom, see Nasal congestion.
The nasal cycle is the subconscious[1][2] alternating partial congestion and decongestion of the nasal cavities in humans and other animals. This results in greater airflow through one nostril with periodic alternation between the nostrils. It is a physiological congestion of the nasal conchae, also called the nasal turbinates (curled bony projections within the nasal cavities), due to selective activation of one half of the autonomic nervous system by the hypothalamus. It should not be confused with pathological nasal congestion.
![]() | This article may be too technical for most readers to understand. (October 2018) |
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