Deviated Nasal Septum And Sinusitis
Many people wonder about the cause of their specific sinusitis problem. With no clear answer, confusion exists about all the treatment options ad cures. One of the most common questions I am asked revolves around the sinusitis nose connection, "Do I have a deviated nasal septum."
Although a deviated septum can absolutely be the cause of some sinusitis problems, the sinusitis nose connection goes much deeper than that. First though it is necessary to make sure you don't have a septum deviation.
The nasal septum is made up of bone and cartilage running in the middle of the nasal cavity. This produces two nasal passageways. If either the bone or cartilage portion is displaced laterally, the diagnosis of deviation is given. This displaced septum can greatly vary.
Many people have nasal deviations but the question to ask is if this deviation is enough to cause symptoms. I believe most of us have a slight deviation but not enough to cause sinusitis. It is estimated that 80% of Americans have an off center septum. Surgeons of course love these deviations and convince many to have septoplasty (surgical correction of a deviated septum) without solid proof that it is the true cause. It is a quick procedure with little postoperative follow-up but a high price markup.
Nasal septum deviation most commonly occurs by trauma to the nose. Since I see a lot of athletes this can be a common cause. If rare circumstances it can be a congenital disorder that was caused by compression of the nose during childbirth or Marfan syndrome.
So how does this cause sinusitis? Well the sinus passageways are located on the lateral side (to the right or left) of the septum. If the deviation is far enough to the side, instead of centrally located, it could potentially block one of these passageways. This blockage restricts the normal flow of mucus and a buildup of this sticky fluid occurs. The primary instigator of sinusitis is mucus buildup. It becomes a great breeding ground for bacteria and traps an excess of environmental allergens/pollutants that cause irritation to the nasal mucosal lining; all the beginnings of a nasty sinusitis.
Some of the most common symptoms indicating that you have a deviated nasal include epistaxis (nose bleeds), congestion, chronic sinusitis, and snoring. The best indications though exist when sinusitis or other nasal infections are not present. If you struggle with breathing through the nose and when you breathe in you feel one nasal passageway becoming clogged then a referral to an Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) id indicated, you may have a severe deviated septum. If you only have these symptoms when sick, most likely you do not have this condition or you have a very mild version that does not require surgical intervention. The swelling of the tissues due to the illness is the cause of the blockage. So focus on the symptoms outside of being sick.
Septoplasty is the surgical choice for a severe septum deviation. The surgery is done with local or general anesthesia and in an outpatient setting. It takes one to 1-1.5 hours to perform and consists of small incisions around the cartilage or bone portions of your septum to widen the nasal passageways. The recovery is usually 2-4 weeks and frequent changing of the gauze packed inside your nose is required. Sometimes ENTs like you to do nasal irrigations with saline to clean the wound and any leftover tissue debris. It's a pretty simple surgical procedure as with all invasive therapies, only do it when its absolutely necessary.
Although a deviated septum can absolutely be the cause of some sinusitis problems, the sinusitis nose connection goes much deeper than that. First though it is necessary to make sure you don't have a septum deviation.
The nasal septum is made up of bone and cartilage running in the middle of the nasal cavity. This produces two nasal passageways. If either the bone or cartilage portion is displaced laterally, the diagnosis of deviation is given. This displaced septum can greatly vary.
Many people have nasal deviations but the question to ask is if this deviation is enough to cause symptoms. I believe most of us have a slight deviation but not enough to cause sinusitis. It is estimated that 80% of Americans have an off center septum. Surgeons of course love these deviations and convince many to have septoplasty (surgical correction of a deviated septum) without solid proof that it is the true cause. It is a quick procedure with little postoperative follow-up but a high price markup.
Nasal septum deviation most commonly occurs by trauma to the nose. Since I see a lot of athletes this can be a common cause. If rare circumstances it can be a congenital disorder that was caused by compression of the nose during childbirth or Marfan syndrome.
So how does this cause sinusitis? Well the sinus passageways are located on the lateral side (to the right or left) of the septum. If the deviation is far enough to the side, instead of centrally located, it could potentially block one of these passageways. This blockage restricts the normal flow of mucus and a buildup of this sticky fluid occurs. The primary instigator of sinusitis is mucus buildup. It becomes a great breeding ground for bacteria and traps an excess of environmental allergens/pollutants that cause irritation to the nasal mucosal lining; all the beginnings of a nasty sinusitis.
Some of the most common symptoms indicating that you have a deviated nasal include epistaxis (nose bleeds), congestion, chronic sinusitis, and snoring. The best indications though exist when sinusitis or other nasal infections are not present. If you struggle with breathing through the nose and when you breathe in you feel one nasal passageway becoming clogged then a referral to an Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) id indicated, you may have a severe deviated septum. If you only have these symptoms when sick, most likely you do not have this condition or you have a very mild version that does not require surgical intervention. The swelling of the tissues due to the illness is the cause of the blockage. So focus on the symptoms outside of being sick.
Septoplasty is the surgical choice for a severe septum deviation. The surgery is done with local or general anesthesia and in an outpatient setting. It takes one to 1-1.5 hours to perform and consists of small incisions around the cartilage or bone portions of your septum to widen the nasal passageways. The recovery is usually 2-4 weeks and frequent changing of the gauze packed inside your nose is required. Sometimes ENTs like you to do nasal irrigations with saline to clean the wound and any leftover tissue debris. It's a pretty simple surgical procedure as with all invasive therapies, only do it when its absolutely necessary.
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