Is the deviation of the nasal septum severe?

Written by Li Rui
Otolaryngology
Updated on November 22, 2024
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Deviated nasal septum is generally not too severe. Overall, its harm to health is not significant. Whether a deviated nasal septum is serious depends on individual differences, and one should primarily examine the specific condition inside the nasal cavity. If the degree of deviation is not severe and there are no clinical manifestations, it generally does not require specific treatment, mainly regular reviews to observe any changes. However, if the deviation is quite pronounced and accompanied by clinical symptoms such as headache, dizziness, nasal congestion, or nosebleeds, it may be necessary to consider surgical correction. Currently, the main approach is minimally invasive surgery using an endoscope, and the overall results are quite definitive.

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Written by Yao Jun
Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
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Does it hurt to remove the stitches from a deviated nasal septum surgery?

Nasal septum deviation is a common surgical procedure in otolaryngology, primarily involving the misalignment of the septal cartilage, which affects the ventilation and drainage of the nasal cavity. This can cause symptoms such as nosebleeds and headaches. Thus, submucous resection of the nasal septum is a routine surgery. Generally, by observing the condition of the wound, if there is no protrusion, tearing, and the alignment is good, it is usually not necessary to stitch. If stitching is done, the stitches are removed after 7 to 8 days. The doctor moistens the nasal cavity with saline, cleaning out any nasal scabs. If pain is a concern, surface anesthesia can be applied using a tetracaine epinephrine cotton swab. Removing the stitches in this way will not be painful. Even without anesthesia, removing stitches feels like a mosquito bite and is not very painful, so there should not be much concern.

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Written by Deng Bang Yu
Otolaryngology
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Can a deviated nasal septum cause rhinitis?

A deviated septum refers to the condition where the cartilage and bone tissues of the nasal septum are skewed towards one side of the nasal cavity. This structural deviation can lead to nasal congestion, nosebleeds, and even headaches. If these symptoms are not present, it might be that the septum is deviated but not severely so. However, if these symptoms do appear, then it is necessary to address the deviated septum. There is an inevitable connection between a deviated septum and rhinitis, meaning a deviated septum will certainly lead to rhinitis. Rhinitis involves inflammation of the nasal mucosa. Therefore, the presence of a deviated septum will definitely cause rhinitis. Thus, actively treating a deviated septum greatly aids in the recovery from rhinitis.

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Written by Zhang Jun
Otolaryngology
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Can a deviated septum be detected by a CT scan?

A CT scan can detect a deviated nasal septum, which is a common and frequently occurring condition in otolaryngology, typically due to abnormal development of the nasal septum during the embryonic stage or from trauma or pressure from nasal tumors. When the nasal septum is deviated, it can cause persistent nasal congestion on both sides, as well as facial swelling, headaches, and may also lead to sinusitis or nasal polyps. Diagnosis can be confirmed with an endoscopic examination using an electronic nasal endoscope and a sinus CT scan at the hospital. If the deviation of the nasal septum is severe and accompanied by nasal congestion and headaches, surgical correction of the deviated septum may be necessary to completely resolve the symptoms.

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Written by Deng Bang Yu
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Is surgery necessary for a deviated nasal septum?

Nasal septum deviation is a structural abnormality where the cartilage or bone of the nasal septum leans towards one or both sides of the nasal cavities. Clinically, a perfectly vertical nasal septum does not exist; there is always some degree of deviation, but the extent can vary significantly. If nasal septum deviation is accompanied by symptoms such as nasal congestion, nosebleeds, or even headaches, a sinus CT scan should be conducted to assess the degree of deviation. If the deviation is severe, then surgery is definitely necessary. For cases with no clinical symptoms and only minor deviation, surgery is not required.

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Deviated nasal septum has symptoms such as:

Symptoms caused by a deviated nasal septum vary widely, with some people experiencing predominantly one symptom, while others may have several symptoms simultaneously. The most common symptom is nasal congestion, which can be unilateral or bilateral, depending on the type and degree of the septal deviation. If the deviation affects both sides of the nasal cavity, bilateral congestion occurs; if it affects only one side, unilateral congestion occurs. Another symptom is recurrent nosebleeds, which may be related to a protrusion formed by the deviation, causing the mucous membrane at that location to be thin and prone to erosion and bleeding. Additionally, headaches can occur due to the nasal septum deviation irritating the nasal nerve. Other symptoms include those of secondary conditions such as a runny nose and mouth breathing.