Deviated Septum Breathing: Signs, Causes & Treatments

Do you ever feel like you just can’t get a full breath through your nose? Like one side is always a bit stuffy, or maybe both? You’re not alone in this struggle; many people experience difficulty breathing due to what is known as deviated septum breathing. It sounds a bit technical, but it’s a very common reason why breathing can feel like a constant effort, impacting everything from exercise to sleep. 

 

You might be wondering what exactly is going on inside your nose to cause these breathing problems. It’s a common question when breathing doesn’t come easily. So, let’s explore your nose and how its structure, specifically the nasal septum, is meant to function for clear nasal passages. Contact us to be your go-to ENT serving West Chester, PA. 

What is a Nasal Septum Anyway?

Inside your nose, there’s a crucial wall made of both cartilage and bone, known as the nasal septum. The anterior part, closer to the tip of your nose, is primarily flexible hyaline cartilage. The posterior part, deeper in the nasal cavity, is formed by harder bone structures like the vomer and the perpendicular plate of the ethmoid bone.

 

Its main job is to divide your nasal cavity into two separate chambers or nasal passages. Think of it like a divider in the middle of a two-lane road, ideally keeping each lane clear. This anatomical setup helps ensure that air flows smoothly and evenly through both nostrils when you breathe in.

 

When your septum is straight, air can pass easily through both nostrils. This allows for comfortable, quiet breathing and proper warming and humidification of the air you inhale. This normal anatomy is fundamental for healthy respiratory function.

So, What’s a Deviated Septum?

A deviated septum means that this internal wall is off-center; it’s crooked or displaced significantly to one side. This anatomical variation makes one nasal passage smaller or more narrow than the other. This condition is also referred to as a septal deviation.

 

It’s surprisingly common. Many people have a septum that isn’t perfectly straight, and it’s not always a cause for concern. Information often medically reviewed by institutions like the Mayo Clinic notes that most people have some degree of unevenness in their nasal septum; it’s estimated that up to 80% of people have some misalignment, though many are unaware.

 

For some, this slight deviation causes no problems at all. But for others, particularly those with a badly deviated septum, it can significantly affect their breathing and overall nasal health. The degree of deviation often dictates the severity of symptoms.

How Deviated Septum Breathing Becomes a Problem

When the septum is noticeably off to one side, things change inside the nasal complex. The narrower nostril, or the feeling of one nostril closed, gets less air. This creates an imbalance in airflow, making it feel hard and labored to breathe through your nose. Imagine trying to drink a thick milkshake through a very thin straw; it’s frustrating and takes more effort. That’s similar to what happens with deviated septum breathing. 

 

The increased resistance in the affected nasal passage forces you to exert more energy just to get enough air, which can be tiring. Your body might try to compensate by making you breathe through your mouth more, especially during sleep or physical activity. But mouth breathing has its own set of issues. It can lead to a dry mouth, sore throat, and an increased risk of dental problems, as it bypasses the natural filtering and humidifying functions of the nose.

Common Signs: More Than Just a Blocked Nose

The issues from a deviated septum aren’t just about a stuffy feeling; the septum symptoms can be quite varied and impact daily life. Recognizing these septum symptoms includes a range of issues that can help you determine if this condition is what you’re dealing with. An overview of the symptoms list can be extensive.

 

Here are some common indicators of a deviated septum that might lead to breathing issues:

Symptom	Description	Potential Impact
Nasal Congestion	Persistent stuffiness, often more pronounced on one side, leading to chronic nasal congestion. This might feel like one nostril is perpetually blocked.	Difficulty breathing through the nose, leading to reliance on mouth breathing, and a persistent nasal sensation.
Difficulty Breathing	Labored nasal airflow, especially noticeable during physical exertion, when lying down, or when suffering from a cold or allergies.	Reduced exercise tolerance, poor sleep quality, and general discomfort from breathing problems.
Frequent Nosebleeds	The abnormal airflow can cause the surface of your nasal septum to become excessively dry. This dryness increases the risk of nosebleeds.	Annoyance, inconvenience, and in rare cases, more significant bleeding requiring medical attention.
Facial Pain or Headaches	Some individuals experience a dull ache, pressure, or facial pain. This might be felt around the eyes, forehead, or localized to one side of the face.	Chronic discomfort, reduced ability to focus, and may mimic sinus headaches.
Noisy Breathing / Snoring	Noisy breathing during sleep, often presenting as loud breathing or significant snoring, is very common. This happens because the narrowed airway vibrates as air tries to pass through.	This can disrupt sleep for both the individual and their partner, contribute to daytime fatigue, and be socially awkward.
Sleep Preference	A distinct preference for sleeping on one particular side may develop. This is often an unconscious attempt to open up the more congested nasal passage for easier breathing.	This preference itself indicates a significant unilateral nasal obstruction.
Recurrent Sinus Infections	When your nasal passages don’t drain properly due to the blockage from a deviated septum, it can create an environment where bacteria and viruses thrive, leading to recurrent or chronic sinus infections (chronic sinusitis).	Frequent illness, pain, fever, the need for repeated courses of antibiotics, and prolonged discomfort from sinus issues.
Dry Mouth	This is a common consequence of habitual mouth breathing, forced by the nasal obstruction.	Can lead to bad breath, an increased risk of cavities and gum disease, and persistent throat irritation.

Deviated septum symptoms include these issues which can truly affect your quality of life. They can make exercise harder, disrupt sleep significantly, and contribute to a general feeling of being unwell or chronically tired due to the constant effort of breathing or poor sleep quality. For many, determining if a deviated septum is worth fixing comes down to how much these symptoms interfere with daily activities.

What Causes a Deviated Septum?

You might wonder how a septum gets deviated in the first place. A deviated septum occurs for a few main reasons, some present from birth and others acquired later in life. Sometimes, it’s just how the septum grows and develops.

A deviated septum can be a developmental issue. This means it occurred during fetal development, and you could have been born with it. In such cases, the symptoms might not become apparent until later in childhood or adulthood, perhaps as nasal structures continue to grow or change.

Injury to the nose is another very common cause. A blow to the nose can easily knock the septum out of its central position. This could happen from playing contact sports, a fall, car accidents, or even physical altercations. Even a seemingly minor bump or nose injury during childhood, when the cartilage is more pliable, can sometimes lead to a septal deviation that worsens over time. This includes injuries sustained during birth.

Sometimes, the normal aging process can affect nasal structures. Cartilage can change, and existing mild deviations might become more pronounced. These changes in your nasal tissues could make symptoms of nasal obstruction more noticeable as you get older.

When Should You Start to Worry?

Since a slight deviation of the nasal septum is common and often asymptomatic, when is it a real issue? You should consider seeing a doctor or healthcare provider about Deviated Septum Breathing if symptoms are persistent. If they constantly bother you, cause persistent nasal congestion, or negatively affect your daily life and sleep quality, it’s time for a professional consultation.

If you have severe breathing difficulties that impact your ability to perform daily tasks or exercise, don’t wait. Frequent, recurrent nosebleeds or repeated sinus infections also warrant a visit to a medical center. If your deviated septum symptoms include disruptive snoring or signs of sleep apnea, such as gasping for air at night or excessive daytime sleepiness, that’s another important reason to seek medical advice. If you’ve tried a deviated septum self-test by gently closing one nostril at a time and noticing a significant difference in airflow, this might also prompt a consultation.

A doctor can figure out what’s going on with your nose and nasal passages. They can perform a deviated septum diagnosis and rule out other potential causes for your symptoms, such as allergies, nasal polyps, or other sinus issues. It’s important to understand if your septum treatment needs to address other coexisting conditions.

How Doctors Diagnose It

Figuring out if you have a deviated septum is usually straightforward for a doctor specializing in ear, nose, and throat conditions (otolaryngologist). The deviated septum diagnosis process begins with questions about your specific symptoms, including their duration and severity, as well as your medical history. They’ll want to know how long you’ve had issues, what makes them worse, and if you’ve had any previous nose injury.

Then, they will perform a physical examination of your nose. The doctor will look inside your nasal passages using a bright light. They often use a handheld instrument called a nasal speculum, which gently opens your nostril, allowing them to see the anterior part of the septum more clearly.

In some cases, especially if a more detailed view is needed or if chronic sinus problems are suspected, they might use a nasal endoscope. This is a thin, flexible, or rigid, tube-like instrument with a tiny camera and light on the end. It allows for a more detailed and magnified view deeper inside your nasal passages and the nasal cavity, helping them assess the precise location and severity of the septal deviation and check for other issues like polyps or turbinate hypertrophy. Information for this process is often clearly laid out, almost like checking off items on a form, where each symptom could be a checkbox label, a simple label entry for description.

Living With It: Managing Mild Symptoms

If your symptoms from a deviated septum are mild, you might not need surgery. There are various non-surgical treatment options available to manage the discomfort and improve nasal airflow. These treatments usually focus on reducing nasal inflammation, clearing congestion, or mechanically opening the nasal passages.

Nasal decongestants, available as pills or nasal sprays, can help reduce swelling in your nasal tissues, providing temporary relief from nasal congestion. However, it’s crucial to use nasal decongestant sprays for only a few days as directed by your healthcare provider. Overuse can lead to rebound congestion, a condition where your congestion worsens after the medication wears off, creating a cycle of dependency.

Antihistamines can be useful if allergies are contributing to your stuffiness and nasal obstruction. These medications help block histamine, a substance your body releases during an allergic reaction, thereby reducing nasal inflammation and related symptoms like a runny nose or itching.

Nasal steroid sprays are often prescribed as a first-line treatment option for managing chronic nasal inflammation associated with a deviated septum. These sprays, containing corticosteroids, help reduce swelling in your nasal passages gradually. They are generally considered safe for long-term use when used as directed by a healthcare provider, and it may take a few days or even weeks of consistent use to feel the full effect of this nasal steroid therapy. Brands like Flonase or Nasonex are common examples of these steroid sprays.

You might have seen adhesive nasal strips in the pharmacy. These strips are placed on the outside of your nose, across the bridge. They work by gently pulling the sides of your nasal passages outward, which can help improve airflow, especially at night, reducing noisy breathing.

Saline nasal sprays or rinses, such as those used with a neti pot or a squeeze bottle, can also offer significant relief. These simple saline solutions help by washing out mucus, allergens, and irritants from your nasal passages. They also moisturize the nasal lining, which can be helpful if you experience dryness or frequent nosebleeds. Using these regularly can help keep the nasal passage clearer. Always use distilled, sterile, or previously boiled and cooled water for nasal rinsing to prevent infections.

It’s important to remember that these methods primarily help manage symptoms. They don’t correct the actual structural issue of the deviated septum itself. If these conservative measures don’t provide enough relief from your difficulty breathing or other symptoms, more definitive treatment options, such as septum surgery, might be considered.

Surgery: When Septoplasty is an Option

What if those home treatments and medications aren’t enough to manage your deviated septum breathing? If your symptoms significantly impact your quality of life, making it hard to breathe, sleep, or engage in daily activities, septum surgery might be suggested as a more definitive treatment option. The main surgical procedure to correct a deviated septum is called a septoplasty, a common type of deviated septum surgery.

A septoplasty is a surgical procedure specifically aimed at straightening the nasal septum. The primary goal is to improve airflow through your nose by repositioning the deviated cartilage and bone. It’s usually recommended when non-surgical treatment options haven’t provided adequate relief, or if the septal deviation is severe and directly causing significant nasal obstruction or contributing to other problems like chronic sinusitis or sleep apnea. Deciding if septum surgery is worth fixing the issue involves weighing the benefits against potential risks with your doctor.

During the septoplasty procedure, the surgeon works entirely through your nostrils, so there are typically no external incisions or visible scarring. They make an incision inside your nose to access the septum. Then, they carefully lift the mucosal lining, reshape or reposition the underlying bone and cartilage. Sometimes, small pieces of problematic bone or cartilage might be removed; in other instances, the cartilage is scored, straightened, and reinserted. The procedure is usually performed under general anesthesia or local anesthesia with sedation, often as an outpatient procedure in a hospital or medical center, meaning you can go home the same day.

Recovery from septoplasty takes some time. You can expect some swelling, mild pain or discomfort, and nasal stuffiness for several days to a few weeks after the deviated septum surgery. Your doctor might place soft packing or splints inside your nose to support the newly straightened septum and reduce bleeding, which are typically removed within a few days to a week. You’ll receive specific instructions on how to care for your nose after surgery, including saline rinses and avoiding strenuous activities. Most people can return to work or school within a week or so. Still, activities like heavy lifting or playing contact sports need to be avoided for a longer period, usually several weeks, to allow proper healing and prevent a new nose injury.

The main benefit of a successful septoplasty is significantly improved breathing through both nasal passages. Many people find substantial relief from their previous symptoms of nasal congestion, difficulty breathing, and related issues like snoring or frequent sinus infections. This can lead to better sleep, increased energy levels, and an overall improved quality of life. The Cleveland Clinic provides extensive patient information on what to expect from this septum treatment.

Beyond Just Fixing the Septum

Sometimes, a deviated septum isn’t the only issue inside the nose contributing to breathing problems. Other structures within the nasal cavity can also cause or exacerbate nasal obstruction. Your ear, nose, and throat (ENT) doctor will conduct a thorough examination to assess your entire nasal anatomy before recommending any treatment option.

If the shape of your external nose is also a concern for cosmetic reasons, or if it contributes structurally to the breathing problem (for example, a previously broken nose), a rhinoplasty (commonly known as a “nose job”) might be performed at the same time as a septoplasty. This combination procedure is often called a septorhinoplasty. It addresses both the functional aspects of breathing by correcting the septum and the aesthetic appearance of the nose.

Another common coexisting issue is enlarged turbinates, a condition known as turbinate hypertrophy. Turbinates are small, shelf-like structures inside your nose covered with mucous membranes that help warm, humidify, and filter the air you breathe. If they become too large (often due to allergies, chronic irritation, or sometimes as a compensatory mechanism on the wider side of a deviated septum), they can block airflow, even if the septum is relatively straight or after it has been corrected. In such cases, a surgeon might also perform a turbinate reduction procedure during the septoplasty to further open up the nasal passages. This can involve techniques like radiofrequency ablation, microdebrider resection, or submucous resection of the turbinates.

Living Better: Everyday Tips for Easier Breathing

Whether you opt for septum surgery or choose to manage your deviated septum symptoms conservatively, some lifestyle adjustments and everyday habits can help improve your breathing comfort. These tips focus on keeping your nasal passages as clear, moist, and healthy as possible, which can make a difference in your daily experience with deviated septum breathing.

Using a humidifier, especially in dry climates or during winter months when indoor heating dries out the air, can be beneficial. Moist air can soothe irritated nasal passages, help prevent mucus from becoming too thick and difficult to clear, and reduce dryness that might lead to nosebleeds. 

Elevating your head while you sleep can also provide some relief from nighttime nasal congestion. Try using an extra pillow or a wedge pillow to prop yourself up slightly. This position can help promote better drainage from your nasal passages and sinuses, reducing stuffiness and making it easier to breathe through your nose while sleeping.

Try to identify and avoid known nasal irritants that can worsen your symptoms. This includes common culprits like tobacco smoke (both firsthand and secondhand), strong perfumes, aerosols, cleaning products with harsh chemical fumes, and airborne dust or pollutants. If you have allergies, diligent management of your exposure to allergens such as dust mites, pollen, mold spores, or pet dander is also crucial. This can help reduce overall nasal inflammation and prevent flare-ups of congestion and other symptoms.

Good nasal hygiene is always helpful for maintaining clear nasal passages. Gentle, regular saline nasal rinses or sprays can effectively wash away irritants, allergens, and excess mucus. However, it’s important to be gentle; forceful rinsing can sometimes cause irritation or push fluid into the Eustachian tubes. Always use sterile, distilled, or previously boiled and cooled water for preparing saline solutions for nasal irrigation to avoid introducing harmful microorganisms. Some individuals find that a simple saline mist throughout the day helps keep their nasal lining moist. We can provide you with more insight into our allergy and asthma care serving Blue Bell, PA.

How Deviated Septum Breathing Affects Sleep and Health

The impact of poor nasal breathing, especially from a significantly deviated septum, goes far beyond just feeling stuffy during the day. It can seriously interfere with your sleep, and consistent, good-quality sleep is fundamental for overall health and well-being. These breathing issues can truly disrupt sleep. This occurs because the narrowed or obstructed nasal passage causes turbulent airflow, leading to vibrations in the surrounding soft tissues. In some severe cases, a badly deviated septum can also contribute to or worsen obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a serious sleep disorder where breathing repeatedly stops and starts throughout the night, leading to drops in blood oxygen levels.

As organizations like the Sleep Foundation explain, a deviated septum can disrupt sleep by forcing mouth breathing, which is less efficient and can dry out the airways, and by directly increasing the likelihood and severity of snoring and airway collapse. Constant interruptions to your sleep, even if you’re not fully aware of them, can leave you feeling tired, groggy, and unrefreshed during the day. This daytime fatigue can significantly affect your concentration, mood, work performance, and even your immune system’s ability to fight off infections. Sometimes, if sleep apnea is diagnosed, a midface mask for CPAP therapy might be recommended by a healthcare provider, and a clear nasal airway is important for CPAP tolerance.

So, addressing your chronic nasal breathing issues and septum symptoms can have a positive ripple effect throughout your life. Better nasal breathing often leads to more restful, restorative sleep. And better sleep, in turn, contributes to improved daytime energy, enhanced cognitive function, better mood regulation, and overall greater well-being. It highlights why seeking septum treatment for a problematic deviated septum can be so important.

When researching any medical condition or treatment option online, always be mindful of the source’s credibility and their privacy policy, especially if you are sharing personal health information. Look for information from reputable medical centers and sites that are medically reviewed.

Conclusion

While a deviated septum is a common condition, that doesn’t make its impact on your breathing and quality of life any less significant. Understanding the causes, recognizing common symptoms, and understanding how it affects you, particularly concerning nasal congestion and difficulty breathing, is a significant step toward finding solutions.

Remember, there are effective ways to manage the symptoms of a deviated septum, ranging from conservative measures like nasal steroid sprays and saline rinses to more definitive treatment options. For some individuals, simple home care and medications might be sufficient to alleviate discomfort. For others, particularly those with severe cases or persistent nasal obstruction that disrupts sleep, a surgical procedure like septoplasty might offer more lasting relief and prove to be worth fixing.

Talk to your healthcare provider or an ENT specialist. They can conduct a proper deviated septum diagnosis, discuss your septum treatment options, and help you figure out the best path forward for your specific situation so you can breathe easier and improve your overall health and well-being, allowing you to live life to the fullest. Book an appointment today!