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With review and feedback from CEENTA ENT physician Stephen Clyne, MD (Pineville)
You’re having difficulty breathing and you can’t clear your nose. Maybe it’s not just stuffy. Today, we’ll go over five signs that you might have a deviated septum.
The septum is the thin wall between your nasal passages. It is supposed to run straight down the center of the nose. When it deviates, or has moved to one side, it can block that side of the nose and reduce airflow.
Common symptoms of a deviated septum include:
Nasal obstruction is what most people think of when they hear the words “deviated septum.” This blockage can make nasal breathing difficult, particularly if you have a cold or allergies.
A deviated septum may become dry, which could increase your chance of a nosebleed.
A severely deviated septum can cause nasal surfaces to touch and cause enough pressure that one side of the face may experience pain.
A deviated septum can make you breathe loudly when you sleep. However, 80 percent of the time, snoring and sleep apnea are related to throat issues, not nasal issues, so it’s important to note that if you snore, it might not be because of a deviated septum.
Do you find it’s easier to breathe when you sleep on one side compared to the other? If one nasal passage has been narrowed because of a deviated septum, favoring one side can help you breathe when you sleep.
“If you feel that you are not able to breathe adequately out of one or both sides of your nose and that it has become a chronic problem, you should see an otolaryngologist, as this may be a sign that you have a deviated septum and/or other problems with your nose that an otolaryngologist can help diagnose and treat,” CEENTA ENT physician Stephen Clyne, MD, said.
Don’t ignore the signs. Schedule an appointment today to have your deviated septum treated.
This blog is for informational purposes only. For specific medical questions, please consult your doctor. New patients can make appointments online with Dr. Clyne or any of our ENT doctors in North and South Carolina. Current patients can also make appointments through myCEENTAchart with physicians they have already seen.
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