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The nasal septum is the vertical cartilaginous plate that divides our nose into two, almost symmetrical cavities. It happens, however, that the nasal septum is crooked, which is associated not only with non-standard visual features, but also discomfort and many tiring symptoms. What? What are the methods of healing the nasal septum curve? We explain this in the current material.
Curved nasal septum – what does it look like?
The human respiratory system plays an important role in our body, because it is involved in providing humans with the oxygen necessary for life and in the excretion of carbon dioxide generated as a result of metabolism. The nasal cavity, which cleans and warms the inhaled air, is of particular importance in the respiratory system.
The curve of the nasal septum can make this process very difficult, as then nasal breathing may be unnatural. People struggling with this problem are usually very worried about it and experience other difficulties in everyday functioning as well.
Also read: Why is it worth breathing through the nose?
The standard nasal septum divides the nose into two symmetrical or nearly symmetrical cavities. On the other hand, in the case of people with a curve of the nasal septum, the cartilaginous plaque runs obliquely or takes the shape of the letter S. Additionally, there may be various changes on the septum, such as bone strips, bone spines that narrow the lumen of the nasal passage.
The curvatures within the nasal septum can vary in size, and in some cases the deformities involve and fuse with the nasal turbinates.
If a patient suspects a curvature of the nasal septum, he should see an ENT doctor who will check this with special instruments. If you want to check the condition of the nasal septum at home, you can hold a mirror under your nose and blow air onto the mirror surface. People with a deviated nasal septum will leave a non-standard (unequal) trace after blowing air from both nipples.
This means impaired patency of the nasal passage, and nasal obstruction causes significant difficulties in the outflow of secretions. This creates numerous nasal congestion problems and contributes to overall discomfort.
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Curve of the nasal septum – causes
Nasal septal curvature can be congenital or acquired. Congenital curvature of the nasal septum is associated with irregular tissue growth inside the nose. It is also possible to change the shape of the nasal septum during or before labor. Sometimes the fetus may go wrong or the deformation of the baby’s nose deepens after birth and the tissues remain permanently curved.
Many injuries also occur in the perinatal period. The effects of perinatal injuries can affect not only the appearance of the nasal septum, but also other areas of the child’s life.
Another cause of the curve of the nasal septum is mechanical damage. For example, damage to the nose may result from sports, strenuous exercise, a fall, a fight, an accident, or other trauma.
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Curve nasal septum – symptoms
If there is a distortion of the nasal septum, the patency of the canal is significantly impaired and the outflow of secretions is difficult, especially in the runny nose. In people with a deviated nasal septum, the lumen of the canal within the nasal cavity is significantly narrowed, which results in impaired air exchange in the sinuses.
Symptoms and difficulties that patients with crooked nasal septum often struggle with include:
- prolonged runny nose,
- sinusitis
- catarrhal otitis,
- hearing loss
- headaches,
- attacks of breathlessness (asthma)
- feeling of clogging
- nasal speech,
- snore,
- sleep apnea.
Read also: Is snoring one of the symptoms of a nasal septum curve?
Curve nasal septum – treatment
The most effective and most frequently chosen method of healing the nasal septum curve is an operation called septoplasty. It gives permanent results, and the convalescence after the procedure is not long. Moreover, it is also good news for patients that the surgery on the crooked nasal septum is reimbursed by the National Health Fund. Of course, reimbursement occurs when the nasal crooked septum interferes with the patient’s life, causes all sorts of ailments that people with crooked nasal septum often face.
Septoplasty is performed on the recommendation of an ENT doctor who must carefully examine the patient to assess whether he or she qualifies for the procedure. The procedure can be performed for an adult, but also for a child, especially when, apart from the curvature of the nasal septum, there is also a deformation of the facial skeleton. The operation can also be performed in private ENT clinics.
The operation to straighten the nasal septum is performed in the operating room and takes about an hour. The patient usually receives general anesthesia, in some cases local anesthesia. The course of the operation depends on the case and the appearance of the nasal septum, as the doctor can model or completely remove deformed cartilage and bone structures. At the end of the operation, sutures are applied and the stitches are removed in a week.
For a few days after the surgery, you should follow the rules of convalescence, i.e. use the measures prescribed by your doctor. These can be preparations that moisturize the nasal cavity or help to remove secretions despite nasal swelling. In addition, for 2-3 weeks, you should refrain from vigorous physical exertion, flying, swimming, sunbathing, drinking alcohol, and blowing air through your nose.
Also check: Description of the nasal septum surgery and convalescence