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