Signs That You May Have a Deviated Septum
Dr. Hootan Zandifar, MD FACS, is a facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon at the ZandifarMD in Beverly Hills, CA. A native of Los Angeles, he received his medical degree from the prestigious David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. He completed his residency in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and was then accepted... more
In my experience, one of the most common patient symptoms that leads them to see a facial plastic surgeon is the inability to breathe through their nose. This is a fairly common and bothersome symptom. It can affect a person's sleep, exercise, and general day-to-day functioning. Treatment of nasal obstruction is multifold. It is first important to come to the correct diagnosis and cause of nasal congestion. There are many factors that can contribute to nasal obstruction and each has to be evaluated thoroughly. An appropriate evaluation usually encompasses a thorough physical exam, nasal endoscopy (where the surgeon uses an endoscope to look at the entirety of the nasal passages), and detailed medical history.
One of the most common diagnoses that can cause nasal congestion is that of the deviated nasal septum. Many times patients think or feel like they have a deviated septum. But what are the signs of a deviated septum? Here we have a list of some of the common signs. If you suffer from any of these then you may benefit from septoplasty.
- The first sign is difficulty breathing through either or both nostrils. This is an obvious one but a very common sign.
- The second sign is frequent nose bleeds. This may not be so obvious, but a deviated septum causes changes in the airflow in the nose and this can lead to dry nasal membranes that can break and bleed easily.
- Another obvious sign is that the nose is visibly crooked. Although this may also be due to a broken nose, oftentimes it is accompanied by a broken or deviated septum.
- If you are waking up in the middle of the night and feel stuffed up then you may have a deviated septum.
- Occasionally, a deviated septum can cause facial pain and headaches. This is condition is referred to as a septal headache. It is difficult to diagnose but the treatment is very simple. Repairing the deviated septum will lead to the resolution of the symptoms.
- Finally, if allergy nasal sprays are not working then your nasal obstruction may be due to an anatomical issue such as a deviated septum.
If you want to know more or you want to learn how to treat your deviated septum then visit us here.
