The septum is the cartilage in the nose that separates the nostrils. Typically, it sits at the center and divides the nostrils evenly. Many people have an uneven septum, which makes one nostril larger than the other.
Severe unevenness is known as a deviated septum. It can cause health complications such as a blocked nostril or difficulty breathing. An uneven septum is very common. According to the American Academy of Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery, 80 percent of all septums are deviated to some degree.
A deviated septum requires medical attention only if it causes other health issues or negatively impacts quality of life. A deviated septum can be congenital. This means that a person was born with it. It can also occur as a result of an injury to the nose. People often get these injuries from contact sports, fighting, or car accidents. A deviated septum can also worsen with age. Most people with a deviated septum have only a minor deviation.
Symptoms are unlikely in these cases. Still, possible symptoms include:. Severe deviation can be accompanied by facial pain. You should see your doctor if you frequently have nosebleeds or sinus infections. You should also see a doctor if breathing difficulty is affecting your quality of life. To diagnose a deviated septum, your doctor first examines your nostrils with a nasal speculum. The doctor will also ask questions about sleep, snoring, sinus problems, and difficulty breathing.
For most cases, treatment is not necessary. For a severely deviated septum, surgery is the common treatment option. Due to the costs, risks, or other factors, some people with a deviated septum choose not to undergo surgery.
Other treatment options are available. To help with symptoms, treatment focuses on correcting that issue. Common treatments for symptoms include:. If your symptoms do not improve with medication or other treatment attempts, your doctor may suggest a reconstructive surgery called septoplasty. Preparation: To prepare, you should avoid taking medications such as aspirin or ibuprofen for two weeks before and after the surgery.
These drugs may increase your risk of bleeding. You should also stop smoking, as it can interfere with healing. If severe, breathing through the nose can be difficult. Most people naturally have some deviation — only people with severe deviations need treatment. If you have a badly deviated septum, the most common symptom is difficulty breathing through the nose, which is usually worse on one side. Some people may also have:.
Most people are born with a slightly crooked nasal septum, but it is often never noticed. In some people, the deviation is visible early in life.
Some people develop a deviated septum also called deviated nasal septum because of an injury to their nose that moves the nasal septum out of position. For example, a car accident, sport, tripping over or a bump while playing around. Your doctor will talk to you and examine you. The doctor may use a nasal endoscope — a long tube with a bright light at the tip — to see further back into your nose.
Conditions other than a deviated septum can cause nasal congestion. For example, you may have a different kind of structural problem inside your nose, chronic sinusitis or allergies. In rare cases, bleeding and blockage can be signs of a nasal tumour. If medications do not help, surgery known as septoplasty may be needed to straighten the nasal septum.
In some cases, surgery to reshape the nose rhinoplasty may also be needed. While nose surgery is usually safe, there is a small risk of complications such as bleeding, infection or numbness around the nose or front teeth.
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Learn More About Us. Skip to main content. Find an ENT. Type and Press Enter to Search Close. Deviated Septum. What Are the Symptoms of a Deviated Septum? You may experience one or more of the following: Difficulty breathing through one or both nostrils Nosebleeds Sinus infections Noisy breathing during sleep in infants and young children Mouth-breathing during sleep in adults. Are There Related Factors or Conditions? Inferior turbinate hypertrophy —turbinates are finger-like structures in your nose that warm and moisten the air you breathe, and sometimes the lower ones can get too big Concha bullosa of the middle turbinate —this is when one of the turbinates next to your sinus openings gets a big air bubble in it Nasal valve collapse internal or external Sinusitis acute, recurrent, chronic Headaches contact point External nasal deformity change in the shape of the nose Decreased sense of smell Are There Potential Dangers or Complications?
However, potential complications from septoplasty surgery can include: Anesthesia complications Bleeding Infection Creation of a hole connecting the right and left sides of the nasal cavity called a septal perforation Numbness of the upper teeth and nose Cerebrospinal fluid leak extremely rare Change in the external shape of the nose.
Is it possible that I have a deviated septum and, if so, how severe do you think it is? Is there anything about my nose that might be interfering with my breathing? Adam P. Campbell discusses septal deviations and treatment options. View Video.
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