Episode #83
83. The Nose Knows . . . . More with Dr. Karen Parker Davidson
Can you feel as though you are breathing well through your nose and still have abnormal nasal resistance? In this episode of the Beauty of Breathing Podcast , I reconnect with Dr. Karen Parker Davidson to celebrate five years of friendship, education, and collaboration. Together, we explore why nasal breathing involves much more than simply moving air through an open nose. Dr. Davidson explains that the nose is not merely a passageway. It is a complex pressure-regulating organ, and a certain amount of nasal resistance is necessary to slow incoming air so it can be warmed, humidified, filtered, and prepared before reaching the lungs. We also dive into: ✨ The important difference between nasal breathing, nasal function, and nasal resistance ✨ Why a patient’s perception of breathing may not reflect their actual nasal function ✨ How children adapt to restricted airflow and why symptoms may appear gradually ✨ Why children cannot be evaluated as though they are simply smaller adults ✨ How chronic nasal resistance may contribute to compensatory behaviors and symptoms ✨ Why a wider nasal cavity does not automatically mean better nasal function ✨ The relationship among airflow, pressure, humidification, filtration, and nitric oxide ✨ Why structural examinations alone cannot fully evaluate how the nose performs ✨ How changes to the maxilla may also affect the nasal cavity ✨ Why dentists and ENTs should collaborate when treating airway-focused patients ✨ The importance of objective nasal measurements and individualized evaluation We also discuss the challenges patients face when different providers offer conflicting recommendations. Dr. Davidson emphasizes that nasal resistance is highly individual and influenced by hundreds of variables. No single anatomical feature, symptom, or measurement can tell the complete story. This conversation also honors the late Dr. Martha Cortes, one of the original hosts of The Beauty of Breathing . Dr. Davidson and I reflect on her wisdom, mentorship, and lasting influence on our work in airway health. Dr. Karen Parker Davidson is a globally recognized airway clinical nurse specialist with nearly 40 years of healthcare experience. She is the founder of the International Society of Airway Function Diagnostics and Therapeutics, creator of Airway AI and the Davidson Maneuver, CEO of MedTech Research and Author, and an internationally recognized educator and speaker. Her work focuses on nasal physiology, objective airway measurement, nasal resistance, and the connections among breathing, neurological function, and whole-body health. If you’re a dentist, ENT, orthodontist, myofunctional therapist, sleep professional, parent, or patient trying to understand why an apparently open nose may not function efficiently, this episode offers an entirely new way to think about breathing. Listen to this episode and discover why evaluating the airway requires us to look beyond whether someone can simply breathe through their nose. #BeautyOfBreathing #TheNoseKnowsMore #NasalBreathing #NasalResistance #NasalFunction #Rhinomanometry #AirwayHealth #MouthBreathing #PediatricAirway #MyofunctionalTherapy #AirwayDentistry #ENT #SleepDisorderedBreathing #NitricOxide #AirwayCircle Support the show ABOUT OUR HOST: Renata Nehme RDH, BSDH, COM®, OMS™ has been a Registered Dental Hygienist since 2010. In 2016, when she was introduced to the world of "Myofunctional Therapy" she immediately knew that was her calling, especially when she learned that it encapsulated many of her passions- breastfeeding, the import of early childhood development, and airway health. In 2021 Renata founded Airway Circle with the intention of creating a collaborative and multidisciplinary group of like-minded health professionals who share the same passion for learning and giving in the dental health and airway space. Myo Moves - Become a Patient: www.myo-moves.com ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ At Airway Circle we offer a safe and supportive space for like-minded professionals to connect, collaborate and share information regarding airway-related issues and whole-body health. Become a Member Today and have immediate access to hundreds of lectures with world-renowned professionals. ...
