What Does a Severely Deviated Septum Look Like, and How Can It Be Fixed?
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Your nasal septum, which divides your right and left nasal cavities, is a thin inner wall of bone and cartilage coated in mucosal tissue. Each side of your nostrils obtains equal space for your breathing when your nasal septum runs directly through the middle of them. One side of your nasal septum becomes narrower than the other when crooked or misplaced (deviated). Breathing may be challenging as a result.
The cosmetic procedure is the most successful and promising treatment for a deviated septum. But what if there was a less complicated technique to make a person with a deviated septum’s life a bit less uncomfortable? There are numerous alternatives before deciding to have the deviated septum procedure.
Allergies or illnesses can frequently make a deviated septum obstruction in the nasal cavity worse. It makes sense to treat the condition or allergy to improve airflow and give the patient more freedom to breathe.
In what ways can people benefit from this?
It is possible to live without a straight nasal septum and not experience any issues, but this does not mean that people with noticeably deviated septa would live similarly.
Many people leave deviated septum untreated, and this is what leads to a series of symptoms in the future. Some of these symptoms are so painful and aggravating that they start interfering with the day-to-day life of the patient as well. When the symptoms occurring because of deviated septum start interfering with breathing, a person needs corrective surgery or anti-inflammatory medication.
Here, we have discussed everything you need to know about deviated septum in a detailed manner so that you can understand its actual meaning, symptoms, preventive measures and treatment options.
What is a Deviated Septum?
The cartilage and bone septum that divides the nasal cavity has a deviated septum when it is out of alignment. Some people have a deviated septum from birth. Others get it due to a nose injury. Headaches, congestion and breathing issues could all be brought on by a severely deviated septum. A deviated septum can be surgically fixed, and the life expectancy is the same.
The cartilage and bone in your nose are called the nasal septum. The septum divides the nasal cavity (inside your nose) into the right and left sides. The septum has “deviated” when it is out of alignment or leans to one side of the nasal cavity. Medics refer to this as a deviated nasal septum.
A nasal septum is a thin inner wall of cartilage and bone. This nasal septum is always covered by mucosal tissues that separate left and right cavities. When the nasal septum is running down a straight path without any deviation, both left and right nasal cavities get equal amounts of air since they have equal breathing space. The deviated septum occurs when the nasal septum is crooked or displaced, making one side of the nasal cavity smaller than the other. This usually makes it arduous for the person to breathe.
In some cases, the crookedness of the nasal septum is so significant that it is easily visible to even the naked eye, but in some cases, people find it surprising to be diagnosed with a deviated septum since it is not easily noticeable. If you don’t know what a severely deviated septum looks like, you must get in touch with a doctor as soon as possible.
Symptoms of a Deviated Septum
Nasal Congestion and Repeated Sinus Infection
If one-half of your nose is permanently blocked, you shouldn’t take it lightly, as it is the most significant symptom of a deviated septum. When one nasal cavity is forever barred, it is difficult for the person to breathe through the nose. Plus, the inflammation caused by nasal congestion makes it difficult for the sinus to drain quickly.
This can result in sinus infection resurfacing even after medication, and you might also have to deal with other symptoms. Postnasal drip, which is often mistaken for allergies and colds, is another symptom of repeated sinus infection caused by a deviated septum. A deviated septum can worsen the situation and symptoms if you already have allergies.
Snoring and Sleep Apnea
A deviated septum can also result in loud and continuous snoring, making it difficult for everyone around you to sleep peacefully. But apart from disturbing the sleep routine of your loved ones, you put yourself at the dangerous end of sleep apnea, especially when a severely deviated septum is left untreated.
During sleep apnea, you usually stop breathing at night. In most cases, it happens because of a person being too overweight, but severely deviated septum can also result in sleep apnea and can prove fatal.
Problem Breathing
If one of the nasal cavities is smaller than the other and if this situation is there for a long time, it can make it a herculean task for you to be dependent upon your nose only for breathing correctly.
Whether you are trying to fall asleep or are already asleep, the breathing-related symptoms are more apparent at night. A deviated septum can also make it difficult for you to breathe when engaging in demanding physical activity. In these circumstances, people switch to their typical, unhealthy mouth breathing. Regular mouth breathing can irritate the oral mucosa, which begins to dry up over time. Teeth are harmed by oral mucosa dryness.
Regular Nose Bleeding
Because of the deviation of the septum, the nasal cavities work harder to move the air through the nasal passage. Because of this, the moist membrane lining of the nose gets dried, which makes people with deviated septum prone to nose bleeding.
Although there is a long list of reasons for nose bleeding, from high blood pressure to common allergies, a deviated septum can also be the nosebleed that resurfaces even after taking medicines.
Headache
Headache has become the most common issue in the modern age, and although people take painkillers, sometimes, the reason behind a severe headache that keeps resurfacing is your deviated septum.
Deviated septum results in stuffiness, and this, in turn, causes headaches because of the pressure build-up in the sinuses. If your headache keeps coming back and you are fed up with taking painkillers, you should check your deviated septum, even if you know what a severely deviated septum looks like.
Causes of a Deviated Septum
In many cases, a deviated septum is congenital, which means that a person is born with a deviated septum because of genetic reasons. But a deviated septum can also occur because of an accident involving injury to the nose.
A deviated septum can also build in the utero while the foetus is still inside the womb or during the delivery process of a newborn child. If someone is born with a deviated septum, the septum usually has a C or S shape. Such septums are primarily smooth and occur at the nose’s front part. But in the case of deviated septum because of an injury, the septum gets an extreme angle
and the shape becomes completely irregular.
Prevention
There is no preventive measure if you are born with a deviated septum. But if you don’t have deviated septum because of genetics, you can take a few preventative measures to reduce the injury. Here is what you can do-
- Always wear your seat-belt while driving
- Keep high-contact sports at bay
- Use a helmet while driving or while playing any sports
Management and Treatment
Most people with deviated septum don’t need any treatment since they don’t have to deal with related symptoms; in other cases, the symptoms are so mild that the person hardly notices them. After speaking with a doctor, over-the-counter drugs can be administered in cases of moderate symptoms that occasionally become irksome. The following are some typical drugs that a doctor might prescribe to you:
Options for Managing Symptoms
Your doctor may initially manage your symptoms to treat your deviated septum. Your doctor may advise the following. Sadly, we have discovered that these are not long-term solutions for a deviated septum.
Decongestants
Decongestants lessen the nasal tissue’s enlargement. Your airways may remain clear if you do this. Decongestants might be prescribed as sprays or pills by your doctor. You should only sometimes use nasal sprays. They could cause dependency if taken improperly, and once you stop using them, your symptoms might get worse. Potential stimulants include oral decongestants. You can have nervousness, an elevated heart rate and blood pressure following use.
Steroid Nasal Sprays
Sprays of nasal corticosteroids may aid in drainage for treating nasal oedema. Before you experience the full benefits of treatment, it could take up to three weeks. Therefore, when using corticosteroid sprays, adhere to your doctor’s directions.
A deviated septum cannot be repaired by medication. They might alleviate swelling mucous membranes temporarily.
Antihistamines
The purpose of antihistamines is to treat the effects of allergies. One of these is a runny or congested nose. They frequently offer relief from non-allergic diseases like the common cold. Antihistamines may make you feel sleepy. Before engaging in difficult work that calls for physical activity and coordination, such as driving a car or operating large machinery, use caution if you take antihistamines.
However, if your septum severely deviates, you may need to undergo septoplasty. Skilled surgeons conduct septoplasty to address sinus, nasal polyps, and any other disorders that make it difficult for the patient to breathe adequately through both nasal cavities. But you don’t need to consider septoplasty as a significant surgical process since it is the most common ENT procedure in the UK. However, in most cases, doctors recommend septoplasty only after ruling out all the possible treatment options.
Wrapping Up!
Even if you are familiar with the symptoms of a badly deviated septum, you shouldn’t assume you are an expert and go to a surgeon immediately. You should speak with a doctor first; if you require an excellent surgeon for nose surgery, the doctor may recommend one.
Deviated septum is more common than you think, but not every person with a deviated septum needs medication or surgery. If the symptoms of deviated septum start interfering with your health and daily life, you should get in touch with a doctor and choose the best place for septoplasty. Rhinoplasty LDN is one of the best places to get a nose job done without any worries.
We have the most outstanding team, equipment, and procedures to accomplish the best nose job at a top-notch facility. Contact us to learn more about your case, our procedure and our cost.
Discover a New You With COSMETIC RHINOPLASTY!
There is no “one size fits all” approach to therapy at Rhinoplasty LDN. We do extensive testing to correctly identify the source of your difficulties and create an exceptional treatment strategy just for you. We thoroughly explain our recommendations and support you along the way to ensure that you begin living a higher quality of life.
Untreated deviated septums can have an impact on your quality of life. It’s time to get treatment if you have trouble controlling your symptoms with at-home solutions.
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