What is a deviated septum?
Your septum is the wall that divides your nasal cavity into two, of course the perfect nasal septum would be completely in the middle, allowing for two identically sized and shaped nostrils to be formed. This is not always the case however, and those suffering from a mismatch in sizes are suffering from a condition called a deviated septum. Common deviated symptoms vary from person to person, however there are many corrective procedures available such as deviated septum surgery.
Do I have a deviated septum?
It?s a question you might want to ask yourself, and believe it or not the answer is possibly ?yes?! The thing is though, that not everyone suffers to the same extent as a result of a deviated septum. You may well have a septum that?s deviated, around 80% of people do, but you won?t necessarily suffer from the common deviated septum symptoms, or indeed require surgery. A deviated septum can cause problems with your sinuses, leading to reoccurring sinus infections.
Common deviated septum symptoms:
- Noisy breathing when asleep
- Reoccurring and frequent sinus infections
- Regular nose bleeds
- Congestion of the nose, which can appear on only one side
One of the biggest deviated septum symptoms is that people tend to have difficulty breathing/drawing air through the nose. Obviously, if your septum is deviated you may find it easier to breathe through one side of your nose, as one side is likely to be obstructed, whilst the other is bigger, and clearer. There is no need to worry if you?re suffering from a deviated septum, however you may find it beneficial to attend an appointment with your GP or doctor who will be able to advise you as to the options that are open to you. If you?ve ever suffered from trauma to the nose, it?s possible that this could have caused your septum to become deviated. If you?re worried that this has occurred, seek the advice of a medical professional.
Deviated septum surgery: Septoplasty
Septoplasty is given to the name of the procedure that is usually carried out on those individuals suffering from a deviated septum. It is not usually performed on those under the age of 18, as the septum continues to grow typically until the age of 18. The procedure is usually used as a last resort by doctors looking to put right a deviated septum in a patient. The procedure can take anything from one to two hours to complete, and in most cases there are no visible signs on the patient?s face that the procedure has been carried out.
If you?re worried that you make be suffering from deviated septum symptoms, it?s a good idea to book and appointment with your physician or doctor today. There are effective forms of deviated septum treatments out there, and the condition can be remedied if you seek the correct help.