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Deviated nasal septum
– deviation of the septum in both or one direction from the midline. Manifested by difficulty or absence of nasal breathing through one or both nasal passages. By complicating the outflow of secretions from the paranasal sinuses, it increases the tendency to the occurrence of inflammatory and allergic diseases of the respiratory system, including runny nose, allergic rhinitis, vasomotor rhinitis, sinusitis, sinusitis, tonsillitis.
Symptoms of a deviated nasal septum
- Difficulty in nasal breathing, up to its complete absence.
- Chronic rhinitis.
- Dry nose.
- Nosebleeds.
- Frequent diseases of the nose and paranasal sinuses (sinusitis).
- Decreased sense of smell.
- Headache.
- Pain in the ear area.
- Snore.
- If the septum was deviated as a result of injury, the shape of the nose may also change.
Symptoms vary depending on the degree of curvature. A slight deviated septum that causes no symptoms occurs in many people. In such cases, treatment is usually not required.
Types of deviated nasal septum
- Physiological – associated with heredity or is a consequence of improper development of the facial skeleton due to a discrepancy between the growth rates of cartilage and bone tissue.
- Compensatory – the result of exposure to any irritating factors (polyp, foreign body).
- Traumatic – the result of a dislocation or fracture of the nose.
Treatment of deviated septum
Conservative treatment
If difficulty breathing is caused by swelling of the mucous membranes of the nose, treatment is carried out aimed at eliminating the swelling. Treatment is carried out by rinsing the nose, introducing medications into the nasal mucosa and laser therapy.
Septoplasty
If breathing is difficult due to osteochondral structures, the only way to eliminate a deviated nasal septum is through surgery.
Indications for surgery: significantly impaired nasal breathing, frequent sinusitis and rhinitis, frequent nosebleeds, severe snoring, visible cosmetic defect.