The nasal septum is made up of bone, cartilage and tissue. It separates the left and right nasal passages and the nostrils. A deviated septum is a fairly straightforward condition in which the nasal septum is displaced to one side rather than staying centered. This results in one nasal passage being much narrower than the other. The deviation may be a result of genetic inheritance, or of an injury.
Most people, up to 80% in fact, have some deviation of the septum, though this does not cause any complications or issues with respiration. It’s only the more severe deviations that are responsible for breathing issues.
If you think you might have a considerable amount of septum deviation resulting in difficulty in breathing, you should consult a specialist whenever you are able. If you live in Lahore, you may want to check out these ENT specialist in Lahore.
Symptoms
As we’ve said before, severe deviation of the septum can result in breathing problems. In addition to this, the deviation exposes the septum to an increased drying effect of the airflow in the nasal passage. This drying effect can lead to bleeding and crusting in the nostrils, as the septum has a great number of capillaries for a rich supply of blood.
Because of the difficulty in breathing due to blocked nasal passageways, you are more likely to breathe from your mouth during sleep, which could lead to snoring. This may also lead to a disturbed sleep.
Awareness of the nasal cycle may also accompany the deviated septum. It is common for a person to cycle through breathing between nostril and then the other during the day. However, we typically do not notice this happening, and noticing it may be an indicator of a considerably deviated septum.
Though this is more of a conditioned behaviour than an actual symptom, you may be able to tell if your deviated septum is troublesome if it affects the way you sleep. If you have a preference for sleeping on one side in order to breathe better, this may be a strong indicator that your deviated septum is more troubling than you think.
What can you do about it?
If your deviated septum is especially intrusive or worrying, there are a few different options you can consider for treatment. They include medication and surgery.
Medication can not cure the condition, as that requires surgery, however, it can reduce the severity of the symptoms associated with it. The medications that can be used include decongestants, antihistamines, and nasal sprays that contain steroids.
If your symptoms aren’t controlled by medication, you might be inclined to consider surgery. The procedure done to correct a deviated septum is known as septoplasty, which is a type of reconstructive surgery. This may also be supplemented with a procedure known as rhinoplasty, which can restore a more natural appearance to the nose following the correction of the septum.
The septoplasty entails removing excess cartilage and bone from the septum to straighten it out, which may also be followed by implanting splints to aid in the setting of the septum as it heals.
There are quite a few risks that come with septoplasty, as with any surgery, especially those performed under general anaesthetic. That’s why you should consult your physician on the subject as much as possible before committing to it.
If you reside in Karachi, you should definitely consult one of the Best ENT specialist in Karachi.
2018 ·