Is a deviated septum causing you problems?
The septum is the thin wall between your nasal passages. It is made of bone and cartilage, and it functions to make sure air flows through the nose as it should while humidifying and purifying the air. It is “deviated” if it is crooked or bent, which results in one nasal passage being smaller than the other. A person can be born with a deviated septum, but it can also happen because of an injury to the nose.
You might not even know about your deviated septum, until it starts causing problems. It can result in:
• Nosebleeds, because the inside of your nose is too dry
• Facial pain and pressure
• Difficulty breathing because it feels like one of your nostrils is obstructed
• Noisy breathing as you sleep
• Increased frequency of sinus infections
• Sleep apnea, a condition where you stop breathing and then resume throughout the night. You might think that you always get a good night’s sleep and not even realize you keep waking up, leading you to wonder why you feel tired all the time.
• Headaches
How is a deviated septum treated?
Surgery to correct a deviated septum is a last resort. Before surgery is recommended, your doctor may want to try to control allergies or inflammation in the nose with decongestants, antihistamines, or nasal steroid sprays. This, of course, won’t correct a deviated septum, but it can help with some of your symptoms. If surgery is required, it is done on an outpatient basis and can often be done in the doctor’s office. It takes about half an hour and recovery typically only takes 1 or 2 days.
If you are having headaches, trouble breathing, sinus infections, and you are always tired, a deviated septum might be the cause. Contact Nevada Sinus Relief in Las Vegas, NV, for help diagnosing and treating a deviated septum. Call (702) 213-6468 for an appointment today!
