Evaluation of the effect of nasal dorsal skin cooling on nasal mucosa by acoustic rhinometry

Abstract

Background: The use of cold nasal packs on the nose and nape of the neck is currently recommended for patients with epistaxis as this is thought to induce reflex nasal vasoconstriction, which decreases the bleeding. There have been a few investigations on the effect of cold compress application to the nose, but none of these focused specifically on nasal cooling of the skin of the nose. Methods: Acoustic rhinometry was performed to obtain baseline measurements. Nasal dorsal skin was then cooled with two ice packs that were held on the left and right side of the nose for a total of 10 minutes by the subjects. The rhinometry measurements were taken at the time of initial application ( baseline), and after 5 and 10 minutes of ice pack application. Results: Comparisons of the first and second minimal cross-sectional area values, and total nasal cavity volume measurements revealed no statistical differences. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that one should be sceptical about the efficiency of cold compress application, which is frequently used in clinical practice in cases with epistaxis.