Originally Posted by
Machka
The nose (I've recently learned) has these things called turbinates. Turbinates swell when they encounter asthma, allergens or chronic sinus infections, etc. and eventually just stay large which makes asthma, allergies and sinus infections worse ... it's a self perpetuating thing. I've not only got quite a deviation (more than the second photo, and with a bone spur) but my turbinates are permanently large now. So when there is any attempt at breathing in rapidly, there's all kinds of noise. Part of the wheezing I hear is likely air trying to force it's way in between bone and turbinates ... which sets off sinus drainage ... and it's just messy.
Looking at those photos makes my eyes water and nose swell. But opening the throat and mouth breathing should still work same as everyone's? We just do a lot more of that than most. I have to laugh when commenters say they limit their breathing on the bike to nasal and/or use a nose-opening gadget. Oh yeah. The trachea is pretty big. So I open my mouth wide, drop my tongue and lower jaw, straighten my neck, and don't breathe through my nose at all, mostly when climbing, but any going really hard. Every once in a while, I get an insect, but not often. I do nose-breathe when sleeping and most of my awake time.