The nasal septum is the bone and cartilage that divides the nasal cavity in half. If the nasal septum is deviated it will make one nasal passage smaller. When this is severe, it may block one side of your nose, reducing airflow and causing difficulty in breathing.
Most septal deformities or deviations do not result in any symptoms and patients may not even know if they have a deviated septum. However, some deviations can cause an obstruction in one or both nostrils giving rise to difficulty breathing which may be more obvious during a cold or allergies. You may have disturbed sleep due to inability to breathe comfortably through the nose at night. This may lead to noisy breathing, snoring, mouth breathing and dry mouth and preference for sleeping on a particular side. Occasionally, the surface of the nasal septum may become dry and this may increase the risk of nosebleeds.
Septal deviations can be congenital (ie. present at birth) or it can be due to a result from an injury to the nose such as a nasal fracture.
Whilst the treatment of nasal obstruction may include medications and sprays, the treatment of a deviated septum would involve surgery to correct the deviation.
I hope this answers your question. Have a great weekend!
