Deviated Septum

Alternative Names

Deviated Septum

What is Deviated Septum

Nasal septum deviation is a common physical disorder of the nose, involving a displacement of the nasal septum.

The nasal septum is a thin wall between the left and right sides of the nose. It occurs when the thin wall between your nostrils is displaced to one side. Your septum separates your right and left nasal cavities and ideally is located in the center of your nose, equally separating both two sides. However, in many people, the nasal septum is displaced, making one nasal passage smaller.

Signs and symptoms

The most common and frequent symptoms of deviated septum include:

• nosebleeds
• facial pain
• headache
• postnasal drip
• loud breathing and snoring during sleep

Another common symptom of a deviated septum is nasal congestion, with one side of the nose being more congested than the other, along with the complicated breathing. Recurrent or repeated sinus infections can also be a sign of a deviated septum.

It may also cause sleep apnea, a serious condition in which a person stops breathing during sleep.

Possible complications

People who have a deviated septum, the disparity between the sizes of nasal passageways can be serious that creates a blockage in one or both nostrils. Therefore, it can lead to certain complications such as:

• Difficulty breathing through the nose
• Nasal congestion
• Problems with sinus drainage on the blocked side
• Repeated sinus infections, such as chronic sinusitis
• Recurrent nosebleeds
• Pain in your face due to underlying sinus infection
• Headaches
• Postnasal drip
• Snoring
• Sleep apnea

Symptoms associated with a deviated septum are often more severe on one side of the nasal cavity. But when it is mild, it usually goes unnoticed until you have a cold, which can also cause breathing and congestion problems.

What causes

A deviated septum can be caused by:

• A condition present at birth. In some cases, a deviated septum occurs during fetal development and is apparent at birth.
• Trauma or injury. It is most often caused by impact trauma, such as by a blow to the face. It can also be a congenital disorder, caused by compression of the nose during childbirth. In children and adults, a the large array of accidents can lead to a nose injury and deviated septum — from tripping on a step to colliding with another person on the sidewalk. Trauma to the nose most usually occurs during contact sports, active games or roughhousing, or automobile accidents.
• Normal aging may also cause nasal tip cartilage to get worsen, aggravating a deviated septum during long time.

Prevention

These precautions may help to prevent you from injuries to your nose that can cause deviated septum:

• Wear a helmet when playing contact sports, such as football and hockey.
• Wear a seat belt when driving any type of transport such as: car, motorbike and etc.

Treatment

As a main treatment for deviated septum, you will need a type of surgery called septoplasty. In this procedure, the surgeon will move your septum to a normal position. In some cases, the surgeon may also use procedure called rhinoplasty where he will reshape the external appearance of your nose. If these two procedures are done at the same time, the surgery is called a septorhinoplasty.