How a Deviated Septum Affects Breathing and Nasal Health

If you have a deviated septum, you may worry it's going to worsen with age and eventually cause nasal health or breathing problems. We encourage you to visit Otolaryngology Plastic Surgery Associates, serving Doylestown, Sellersville, & Lansdale, PA, and the nearby region, to discuss your specific case with one of our doctors. In the meantime, though, it can help to know how it may affect you.

Definition of a Deviated Septum

A deviated septum is an issue affecting the tissue between the left and right nostrils. In this particular condition, the tissue is off-center, causing one nostril to be smaller than the other.

How It Affects Breathing 

Some people never experience any problems from a deviated septum, so they may never even notice they have it or think about scheduling an appointment with our office, serving Doylestown, Sellersville, & Lansdale, PA.

However, in more severe cases, it can block off a nostril and impede breathing, causing a person to only have one open nostril to breathe from comfortably.

If you have allergies that affect your nasal passageways or develop a cold, the congestion from it can block both passages, exacerbating the problem. The allergies or illness could also lead to swelling, which can impede normal breathing.

At night, this issue could cause your breathing to be more noisy than normal. You could also find yourself favoring one side to sleep on, as only one side lets you breathe normally. 

How It Can Affect Nasal Health 

Because air isn't flowing normally through either side, you could experience more air pressure flowing through one side. Ultimately, this could lead to the tissue drying out. And as a result, you could suffer from recurring nosebleeds.

When you suffer from this problem, your risk of recurring sinus infections increases. Because one nasal passage is smaller than the other, your nose may not drain as well as somebody who doesn't have a deviated septum's nose. Your nasal passageways may become breeding grounds for bacteria and viruses, which can lead to sinus infections. This can also contribute to buildup in the sinus cavities, which can result in sinusitis. 

Not to mention, whenever you have one nostril that isn't performing as well, it can lead to dryness and irritation and impair the mucosal lining's function, increasing your risk of infection.

If you have a deviated septum and are experiencing problems from it, we recommend calling Otolaryngology Plastic Surgery Associates, serving Doylestown, Sellersville, & Lansdale, PA, and the neighboring communities. One of our providers can help find a solution.

• Doylestown, PA, by calling (215) 348-1152
• Lansdale, PA, by calling (215) 368-5290
• Sellersville, PA, by calling (215) 453-8900

Call today.