Hypertrophy of the turbinates

The nasal conchae (Conchae nasales) are located inside the nose, where the nose no longer consists of cartilage but of bone. There are three nasal conchae on each side: one upper, one middle and one lower. The nasal conchae are small bone ridges covered with mucous membrane.

The nasal conchae increase the surface area of the nasal mucosa and thus improve the defence against inhaled foreign bodies and pathogens, because in the best case they simply stick to the nasal mucosa. Hypertrophy of the nasal concha means that the nasal conchae are enlarged. An enlargement of the nasal conchae can be caused by hay fever and other allergic inflammations or by the excessive use of decongestant nasal spray.

This hypertrophy hinders breathing through the nose on the one hand, and makes it difficult for the sinuses to drain. Affected patients have difficulty breathing, especially during physical exertion, and some snore at night. The obstructed outflow of the paranasal sinuses promotes infections of the upper respiratory tract and chronic sinusitis. The most effective therapy for severe symptoms caused by an enlargement of the nasal conchae is a surgical reduction.

Hypertrophy of the breast (mamma)

Mammary hypertrophy describes an oversized female breast, some definitions mention a weight of more than 1,000 grams per side as a threshold to diagnose mammary hypertrophy. Hypertrophy of the mamma can occur on one or both sides. The high weight puts a strain on the musculoskeletal system and leads to postural deformities in the affected patients, which is why back and shoulder pain is not uncommon in patients with breast hypertrophy.

The trigger for breast hypertrophy is in most cases puberty, but hormonal changes during pregnancy can also trigger breast hypertrophy. In men, a benign enlargement of the mammary gland is called gynecomastia. It can be triggered, for example, by a lack of male sex hormones or by certain drugs. Enlargement of the male breast due to obesity is called pseudogynecomastia, as it is not the glandular body that is enlarged, but rather the increased storage of fat in the breast. The therapy of choice for mamma hypertrophy and real gynecomastia is surgical breast reduction.