Find a Physician
Services
- Services
  At Kendall Regional Medical Center, we treat the most important health concerns - yours. We provide healthcare services designed to meet your needs at every stage of your life.
Patients & Visitors
- Patients & Visitors
  Patient care is our most important job. We want to make sure your experience is as pleasant as possible. This section contains information to help make your stay with us as comfortable as possible.
En Espanol
- En Espanol
  Ofrecer a los residentes de West Dade servicios de salud de calidad a un costo razonable a través de excelencia operacional, y reconociendo la diversidad cultural de la comunidad a quien servimos.
For Professionals
- For Professionals
  This section is specifically for healthcare professionals, including physicians, mid-level providers, nurses, and other medical professionals.

Deviated Nasal Septum

Home
Health Information
Condition Detail

(Deviated Septum)

Definition

The nasal septum is the wall that separates the left and right nostrils. A centered septum allows air to flow equally through each nostril. In a deviated nasal septum, the wall is not centered.

A deviated septum may cause no symptoms at all. In severe cases, airflow through one or both nostrils may be blocked. A blocked nostril may cause chronic stuffiness and a tendency to get sinus infections .

Deviated Septum

Causes

Causes include:

Present at birth—arose during fetal development (5% of cases)
Birth injury to the nose
A blow to the nose, often during an accident or while playing sports

Risk Factors

Risk factors include:

Contact sports, especially karate or football without appropriate protective headgear
Trauma is the most common risk factor

Symptoms

Symptoms include:

Stuffy nose (one or both sides)
Sinus infections
Nosebleeds
Breathing noisily during sleep
Facial pain or headache

Diagnosis

The doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history. A physical exam will be done. The doctor will examine the nasal passages. A nasal speculum will hold the nose open. A thin telescope is passed into the nose.

Treatment

Most people will not require treatment. In severe cases, surgery may be needed. Surgery on the septum alone is called septoplasty . It relieves nasal blockage by centering the septum between the two nostrils.

Sometimes surgery to reshape the nose ( rhinoplasty ) is performed at the same time. The two procedures together are called septorhinoplasty. Children who need surgery usually wait until they have stopped growing, around age 16.

Prevention

To help prevent a deviated septum:

Wear seat belts in automobiles and airplanes
Wear appropriate protective headgear when playing sports

RESOURCES

American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery http://www.entnet.org

HealthFinder, US Department of Health and Human Services http://www.healthfinder.gov

CANADIAN RESOURCES

Canadian Society of Otolaryngology http://www.entcanada.org

The Canadian Society of Plastic Surgeons http://www.plasticsurgery.ca

References

Beers MH, Berkow R, et al. Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy . 17 ^th ed. Whitehouse Station, NJ: Merck and Company;1999.

Fact sheet: deviated septum. American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery website. Available at: http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/deviatedSeptum.cfm . Accessed July 24, 2008.

Revision Information

Reviewer: Marcin Chwistek, MD
Review Date: 03/2013 -
Update Date: 00/31/2013 -

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

Kendall Regional Medical Center

Services

Patients & Visitors

En Espanol

For Professionals