Do you have problems breathing through your nose? Your nose breathing problems could be caused by a deviated nasal septum.
A deviated septum indicates that your nasal septum is off center. This septum is a thin partition of bone and cartilage that divides your nasal cavity in two, ideally right down the middle.
However, if your nasal septum is substantially deviated to one side or the other, then it can impede air flow and mucus drainage from the sinuses. As a result, a deviated nasal septum causes nose breathing problems, typically through only one nostril. You may also experience some of these other nose related symptoms:
- snoring
- sinusitis
- sinus headaches
- nasal congestion
- frequent nosebleeds
- noisy nasal breathing
- recurring sinus infections
And when you are suffering with allergic rhinitis or an upper respiratory infection, then your nose breathing problems from a deviated septum will likely be exasperated because of nasal inflammation.
Most commonly, a deviated nasal septum is caused by an injury, e.g. broken nose, that knocks your septum out of position. Yet, a deviated septum can occur during fetal development, therefore it will be present at birth.
Deviated septum treatment usually entails surgical repositioning of your septum, known as septoplasty. This couple of hour procedure will usually take care of your nose breathing problems with little risk.
Some alternative treatments that can temporarily relieve your deviated nasal septum symptoms include:
- nasal strips
- antihistamines
- nasal irrigation
- decongestants
- allergy medications
- nasal cortisone spray
- eat hot peppers for capsaicin affect
In addition, try to avoid airborne allergens and pathogens that cause your nose breathing problems to intensify because of nasal membrane swelling, such as viruses, pollen, dust and air pollution.
