Many patients have been told that they have a deviated nasal septum, but most aren’t sure exactly what that means or even if it needs to be treated. The nasal cavity is separated into left and right sides by a partition (wall) that is made up of cartilage and bone. Ideally, this wall is straight so that each side of the nose has equal space for breathing. However, very commonly this wall is not completely straight, in which case it is called “deviated.”
This could mean that it is bent to one or both sides, or there could be a part of the septum that sticks out like a thorn, which we call a spur. This can cause it to feel like it is hard to breathe through the nose on one or both sides or that the breathing ability is different on one side or the other. This can give problems with exercise, sleep, or just feeling like you can’t get enough air. All of these can make you feel tired and frustrated or that you’re not able to perform to the best of your ability. In some cases it can even contribute to snoring or sleep apnea.
Septum deviation could be a result of trauma to the nose or from their normal growth and development. It requires an in-office diagnostic nasal endoscopy or CT scan to fully evaluate. There may be other abnormalities that can contribute to the nasal obstruction, including swelling from allergies or sinusitis, nasal polyps, enlarged adenoids, or in rare cases, tumors. A non-surgical option is tried first with trial of medications, to see how your symptoms respond. However, if the obstruction is purely structural and not due to swelling, or if medicines have failed to improve your symptoms, then a surgical procedure may be the solution.
Surgery for a deviated septum is a standard procedure that is performed endoscopically, entirely inside your nose. It will not change the outside appearance of the nose and there are no external incisions or bruising. It consists of straightening or removing deviated portions of the septal cartilage and bone to relieve any obstruction in the nose. Other procedures may be required at the same time like turbinate reduction or polyp removal depending on your situation.
Nasal breathing is very important from both a medical and lifestyle standpoint. If you feel your nasal breathing is not what you think it should be, please make an appointment with your ENT surgeon for a clinical evaluation.
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KEYWORDS: nasal septum, nasal cavity, deviated, sleep apnea, snoring, septum deviation, nasal endoscopy, CT, allergies, sinusitis, nasal polyps, enlarged adenoids, tumors, turbinate reduction, polyp, nasal breathing
For further queries about the infections, diseases, and treatments of the ear, nose or throat, Dr Mohanty’s Speciality ENT Clinics in Chennai, India can help in a number of ways,
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT US :
Dr Mohanty’s Speciality ENT Clinics
Manapakkam, Chennai, India.
For Consultation: +91 97910 74677
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