Effect of nasal valve area on inspirator nasal sound spectra.

Abstract

We have researched the effects of nasal valve area on the inspiratory nasal sound spectra in this study. We have spectral analyzed and recorded the inspiratory nasal sound in 22 healthy people with and without the Cottle maneuver. We have found an increase in sound intensity at high frequency in the sound analyses of the subjects without the Cottle maneuver; whereas, a decrease in sound intensity at high frequency was found in subjects with the Cottle maneuver. The nasal valve area plays an important role in the transformation of the nasal airflow from a laminar pattern to a more turbulent one. This condition affects nasal sound spectra and produces a marked shift upward in frequencies in the spectra. This method may be a new way of evaluating the nasal valve area. C-4.