Stephen R. Seal, MD

I've had trouble breathing for more than a decade. As a child, I had a T&A to correct sleep apnea but it didn't address the underlying issue - a severely deviated septum. After much consideration and waiting, I finally decided to bite the bullet and book the procedure with Dr. Seal at Asheville ENT. The procedure was entirely covered by insurance (Aetna) with no out of pocket as it was deemed medically necessary. It was an open septoplasty with a graft to open my collapsed nasal cavity.

Overall, I'd highly recommend the procedure. I'm less than two weeks post-op and I'm already breathing significantly better. The post-op recovery wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. I had no packing or stints just tape on the outside of my nose. There was some pain and swelling - obviously - but it was very manageable and I was back to work within 4-5 days. Although the intention of the surgery was entirely functional and not cosmetic, my nose is also straighter now as Dr. Seal straightened the deviated septum. Dr. Seal has some questionable ratings online but I had a great experience with him. He can be a little blunt but he was attentive, answered all of my questions, and did a great job with the surgery. I don't really have any 'cons' to report. Definitely recommend getting a septoplasty if you have a deviated septum! The post-op recovery can be scary but the benefits far outweigh the temporary pain/discomfort.