---
title: "Cottle’s Test"
description: "Learn how to perform and interpret Cottle’s Test."
source: "The ENT Resident"
author: "Dr. Mausumi Das"
canonical_url: "https://www.theentresident.com/ent-notes-lectures/cottle-test"
categories: ["Rhinology", "History and Clinical Examination"]
video: "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pr8XntMzVT0"
image: "https://media.theentresident.com/og-images/cottle-test.png"
---

# Cottle’s Test

Learn how to perform and interpret Cottle’s Test. Watch the full video lecture on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pr8XntMzVT0

## 👃 Cottle’s Test 

### 🩺 What is Cottle’s Test?

Cottle’s test helps determine whether the patient’s nasal obstruction is due to **internal nasal valve collapse**, which may otherwise be difficult to diagnose visually.

>What are the boundaries of Internal Nasal Valve?

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### 🔍 How to perform Cottle’s Test?

1. The examiner places **two fingers on the patient’s cheek**, just **lateral to the nose**.
2. The **cheek is gently pulled laterally**, thereby widening the **internal nasal valve** area.
3. The **patient is asked** if their nasal breathing **improves** when this maneuver is done.

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### ✅ Interpretation of Cottle's Test

| Result | Patient Response | Interpretation |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Positive | Breathing improves during lateral pull | Suggests internal nasal valve collapse |
| Negative | No improvement in breathing | Indicates obstruction likely due to other causes, e.g., Deviated Nasal Septum (DNS) |

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### 📌 Clinical Significance of Cottle's Test

- Helps diagnose **functional nasal obstruction**.
- Guides **functional rhinoplasty planning**.
- A quick, **non-invasive**, cost-effective bedside tool.
- Can be performed **within a minute**, yet provides high diagnostic value.

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Cottle’s Test is an essential part of the **ENT nasal examination**, especially in patients presenting with **nasal blockage** without obvious septal deviation.

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## About This Note

This free ENT note on Cottle’s Test was written by Dr. Mausumi Das and is paired with a corresponding video lecture.

Canonical page of this note: https://www.theentresident.com/ent-notes-lectures/cottle-test

When citing or referencing this content, please credit The ENT Resident and link to the canonical page above.

## Related Notes by Category

- Rhinology: https://www.theentresident.com/ent-notes-lectures/category/rhinology.md
- History and Clinical Examination: https://www.theentresident.com/ent-notes-lectures/category/history-and-clinical-examination.md

## About The ENT Resident

The ENT Resident is an educational website and resource library created by Dr. Mausumi Das (MS ENT) for ENT residents, ENT postgraduates preparing for exams, and MBBS students.

Dr. Mausumi Das writes the notes, draws the diagrams, and records the lectures herself.

Browse all ENT notes and lectures on The ENT Resident: https://www.theentresident.com/ent-notes-lectures.md

## Medical-use Boundary

The ENT Resident provides educational material for medical learning and revision. It does not provide patient-specific medical advice, diagnosis, or emergency care, and it is not a substitute for evaluation by a qualified healthcare professional.

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