Breathing made easy again

It's surprising how many of us struggle with breathing even though it is the most natural thing to do.

- DARSHITA JAIN

It's surprising how many of us struggle with breathing even though it is the most natural thing to do. But congestion, snoring, allergies, or structural issues like a deviated septum can make breathing through the nose an uphill battle.

However, a small, unassuming device called a nasal dilator might be the relief many people have been searching for. "A nasal dilator is an artificially manufactured non-pharmacological device used for improved nasal breathing in different anatomical and physiological conditions," says Dr Hemanth Kumar B, senior consultant ENT and head and neck surgeon at Renova Hospitals.

A nasal dilator is designed to make breathing easier by physically widening the nostrils. Dr Koka Ram Babu, consultant - ENT specialist, and otolaryngologist (with over 36 years of experience) at Apollo Hospitals, Jubilee Hills, explains it this way - "A nasal dilator is a device designed to increase airflow through the nasal passages by mechanically widening the nostrils. It prevents the nasal walls from collapsing during inhalation, making breathing easier and more efficient."