what is the turbinates
- I get a lot of questions asking about having surgery of the turbinates. Here are some answers. What are turbinates? The turbinates are shelves on the side of the nose. The main ones are the middle and the inferior. They normally enlarge and shrink. They especially enlarge with a cold or infection because blood is coming to the area to fight infection. They enlarge with allergy, and become pale and swollen.