In a perfect world, the piece of cartilage that separates your nose into nostrils — your septum — does so in a way that creates two equally-sized nasal passages. Unfortunately, the world is far from perfect, and up to 80% of the general population has some deviation in their septums, leading to one nostril being larger.
Luckily, most people with slightly, or even moderately, deviated septums don’t run into any issues and are none the wiser.
However, problems can crop up for those with more major deviations, including difficulty breathing. In these cases, a simple procedure called a septoplasty can make good sense. In fact, septoplasty is one of the most common ENT procedures performed in the United States.
If your deviated septum can benefit from surgery, we want you to know that you’re in good hands here at Advanced ENT & Allergy, where Dr. Timothy Queen and the team specialize in nasal and sinus surgeries.
In the following, we look at some of the more problematic side effects of a deviated septum — all of which can be easily remedied with a septoplasty — to help you decide whether the procedure is right for you.
If the sizes of your nostrils are wildly uneven because of a deviated septum, one nostril may be very small — so small that it obstructs your nasal passage. As a result, you don’t breathe as well as you should, and when you do, it’s noisy. You may also snore at night.
A deviated septum is one of the more common culprits behind chronic sinusitis, a condition involving inflamed sinuses.
People with moderate-to-severe devastated septums often complain of chronic nasal congestion, as well as sinus headaches due to the increased congestion.
When your septum is deviated, your nasal passges may be drier than normal, which can lead to nosebleeds.
If you’re struggling with any of the issues we describe above and we find that a deviated septum is to blame, a septoplasty can be a great path forward.
We perform this procedure on an outpatient basis, and it usually takes about an hour. During this time, we reshape and reposition your septum. Then, after a short healing period, you can benefit from more uniform nostrils that allow you to breathe freely and deeply.
If you’re experiencing these classic symptoms, schedule an appointment to see us about your deviated septum. To get started, please contact our office in Newport News, Virginia.
