What Can Be Done for Septum Pain and Deviation, and Enlarged Turbinates? Doctor Answers, Tips
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What Can Be Done for Septum Pain and Deviation, and Enlarged Turbinates?

I have a constant septum pain and inside my nose for about 2 weeks now. I had it before but never constantly, always had difficulty to breathe only through my nose. I went to an otolaryngologist yesterday but it wasn't helpful. He couldn't answer my questions. My turbinates also look pretty enlarged to me. He didn't make a scan of my nose, only outside examination. I got cortisone spray but afraid it won't improve my condition for a long time. I had trauma when I was 11 (now I'm 23). Could it be deviated septum? What should I do? I feel awful.

10 Doctor Answers | Asked by Ilse in Europe
+1

See another otolaryngologist

It is impossible to tell from the pictures what is going on with the nose. Examination of the internal portion of the nose will further delineate the extent of any deviated septum. If you have a deviated septum and enlarged turbinates, this is what usually causes nasal obstruction. A CAT scan of the para-nasal sinuses will also help reveal any chronic sinus issues and a deviated septum. The septum could be deviated from the trauma that you had when you were 11 years old. I would... more
+2

Nasal-septal "sinus" pain is likely to be a variant of migraine.

You may well have a deviated septum, and enlarged turbinates, but these conditions are not usually associated with pain unless you're having a sinus infection. If you have a foul, off-colored, nasal discharge along with pain, then you could have sinusitis, and consultation with another ENT might help. In my practice, the majority of nasal and sinus pain are usually migraine. I agree that steroid nasal sprays will not improve your pain, but might help with your breathing. I hope this was... more
+2

Nose Pain and Deviated Septum

Your pain inside the nose could be from two things; 1. Infection 2. Deviated septum pushing against the side wall of the nose. To differentiate between the two you can do this experiment at home. Get Afrin (Oxymetazolin) spray from any pharmacy. When you are having the pain, spray 3 sprays in each side of the nose and wait for about 15 minutes. If the pain diminshes or goes away then likely you have a deviated septum and when your turbinates swell up the septum pushes against them... more

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+2

Nasal Septal Pain, Deviation, and Enlarged Nasal Turbinates, What to Do?

Hi Ilse, First of all, if you went to an otolaryngologist who did not examine the inside of your nose, and just looked at the outside, it is time for you to find a different ENT. It is imperative to exam the nose internally to make a proper diagnosis. Since your symptoms have been only for two weeks, most likely the pain is not from a structural problem with your septum, but rather from a cut or fissure in the mucosa (lining of the nose). If your turbinates are enlarged, they can be reduced... more
+1

What Can Be Done for Septum Pain and Deviation, and Enlarged Turbinates

If your septum is painful or deviated you should be examined intranasally with a speculum and a light source. The septum can be treated by removed the inner core of the septum and straightening the septum. The turbinates are on each side of the nasal passage laterally and may be enlarged for a variety of reasons such as allergies. The treatment is turbinectomy in which a portion of the turbinates are removed.
+1

Nasal septal pain

While you may have a deviated septum and or enlarged turbinates, pain in the nose typically indicates and acute and active process usually involving an inflammatory and or infectious process. This should be treated appropriately with antibiotics or anti-inflammatory medication. Once the acute issues have been stabilized and if you to indeed have a deviated septum or enlarged turbinates these can be addressed with surgery at a later date.
+1

Septal and Turbinate Pain

If one has septal or turbinate pain and discomfort and has inferior turbinate hypertrophy and deviation, this can be improved with septal reconstruction and turbinate submucosal resection and/or infracture. I would be very cautious about saying that it will guarantee pain relief. It may improve the nasal airway and breathing but may not always relieve the pain.
+1

Deviated septum and nasal pain

Since the nasal pain is only two weeks in duration, it is probably unrelated to your nasal trauma many years ago. You may have a local infection just inside the nose, where there is hair baring skin. In looking at your pictures, I suspect you may have a deviated septum, since the lower part of your nose is deviated to the right side. Septum deviation and turbinate enlargement are common causes of nasal obstruction, but not pain. In rare occasions, contact between the septum and the... more
+1

Septal Deviation

Your pictures show that you have some septal deviation. Without examination one cannot determine if this is causing nasal obstruction. Find another doctor if the ENT physician did not examine the inside of your nose. If you did not injure your nose, the pain is probably secondary to some type of sinus infection. Therefore, don't delay scheduling another appointment.
+1

Septum pain and deviation, and enlarged turbinates

I cannot understand WHY a nose doctor would NOT look inside the nose when you present with nose symptoms. It should have been the second thing he did after obtaining your history. Rather than guessing at what it is or could be, I would suggest you see ANOTHER nose doctor and have him/her examine you. IF there is an anatomic reason (IE deviated, curled septum, enlarged inferior turbinates etc), those may be addressed with a variety of treatments depending on their extent of blockage, any... more
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