Deviated nasal septum
Blocked nasal passages
- The nasal septum is the wall dividing the nasal cavity into halves; it is composed of a central supporting skeleton covered on each side by mucous membrane
- The front portion of this natural partition is a firm but bendable structure made mostly of cartilage and is covered by skin that has a substantial supply of blood vessels
- The ideal nasal septum is exactly midline, separating the left and right sides of the nose into passageways of equal size
Deviated septum
- Estimates are that 80 percent of all nasal septums are off-center, a condition that is generally not noticed
- A “deviated septum” occurs when the septum is severely shifted away from the midline – commonly occurring due to trauma
- The most common symptom from a badly deviated or crooked septum is difficulty breathing through the nose
- The symptoms are usually worse on one side, and sometimes actually occur on the side opposite the bend – in some cases the crooked septum can interfere with the drainage of the sinuses, resulting in repeated sinus infections
- Nasal septoplasty is the preferred surgical treatment to correct a deviated septum
- This procedure is not generally performed on minors, because the cartilaginous septum grows until around age 18
Nose and sinus symptoms
A deviated septum may cause one or more of the following:
- Blockage of one or both nostrils
- Nasal congestion, sometimes one-sided
- Frequent nosebleeds
- Frequent sinus infections
- At times, facial pain, headaches, postnasal drip
- Noisy breathing during sleep (in infants and young children)
Cold – blocked nose
- In some cases, a person with a mildly deviated septum has symptoms only when he or she also has a “cold” (an upper respiratory tract infection)
- In these individuals, the respiratory infection triggers nasal inflammation that temporarily amplifies any mild airflow problems related to the deviated septum
- Once the “cold” resolves, and the nasal inflammation subsides, symptoms of a deviated septum often resolve, too
Diagnosis of a deviated septum
- Patients with chronic sinusitis often have nasal congestion, and many have nasal septal deviation
- However, for those with this debilitating condition, there may be additional reasons for the nasal airway obstruction
- The problem may result from a septal deviation, reactive swelling from the infected areas, allergic problems, mucosal hypertrophy (increase in size), or other anatomic abnormalities
- A trained ENT specialist – experienced in diagnosing and treating ear, nose, and throat disorders, can determine the cause of your chronic sinusitis and nasal obstruction
- Surgery may be the recommended treatment if the deviated septum is causing troublesome nosebleeds or recurrent sinus infections.