The nasal cycle is the spontaneous congestion and decongestion of the nasal mucosa during the day, where congestion of one side is accompanied by reciprocal decongestion of the contralateral side. This usually occurs every 4-8 hours.
In patients without nasal congestion this generally goes unnoticed.
However in patients who suffer from nasal allergies, nasal obstruction from septal deviation, or chronic sinusitis, the nasal cycle commonly is symptomatic. Although there is no treatment to stop the nasal cycle itself, at Corpus Christi ENT Sinus & Allergy we treat the underlying nasal and sinus conditions that make the nasal cycle symptomatic.