Septum deviated to right but I feel airflow is restricted in right nostril - what's the reason for this?

Question

I am considering a septopasty and rhinoplasty. My ENT has concluded that my septum is deviated towards the right nostril. However, I feel that I have restricted air flow in left nostril and full airflow in right nostril. What could be the reason for this ?

Jeffrey Lisiecki, MD · Answer

There are a lot of things that contribute to your nasal airway and functional nasal airway obstruction. Your septum may have a big C or S shape where it obstructs the left airway further back in the nose (where it's harder to see during examination), before deflecting to the right caudally. You also may have something else obstructing the left airway, like turbinate hypertrophy or bony spurs.

Caner Kacmaz, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. Deviated septum is a common problem. It occurs when the septum, the cartilage, and the bone that separates the nasal cavity, are off-center. Therefore, it leans to one side of the nasal cavity. This issue causes breathing problems, headaches, and nasal congestion. A deviated septum can easily be treated with Septoplasty or if you are considering rhinoplasty surgery, your surgeon can also fix the problem during this surgery.
Best wishes.

David M. Kowalczyk, MD, MBA, FACS · Answer

Hi there! If the septum is deviated to the right, you may be experiencing dynamic valve collapse on the left side. This is when the nostril collapses on inspiration due to the airflow being diverted to this more "open" side and the nasal cartilage not providing enough support to resist. This is a common complaint patients have when this is happening. Hope that explains things!

Tormod Westvik, MD · Answer

It might sound contraintuitive, but many patients experience obstruction to flow in the non-deviated side. This relates to the fact that your turbinates will increase in size if allowed to grow, and a deviated septum away from the turbinate (left in your case) could potentially lead to overgrowth (hypertrophy) of your left turbinates which subsequently could restrict airflow. The other reason is that a septum could be deviated to one side in the front but start off crooked from the opposite side in the back, almost like a swinging door at the hotel lobby - the opposite sides would be equally angled.

Jeffrey C. Hamm, MD - Account Suspended · Answer

Hi and welcome to our forum!
Without an internal nasal examination, I am not able to adequately answer your question. A sigmoid shaped septal displacement (like the letter "S") may obstruct one or both nostrils. The anterior segment may be deflected in one direction while the posterior segment may be deflected in the opposite direction. Septoplasty will straighten the septum at midline to eliminate nasal airway obstruction. In some instances, partial removal of the turbinates may be required as well. 
Best wishes...

Alejandro Mendez Sashida, MD - Account Suspended · Answer

Hello good morning
This would be due to a deviated septum, however to have a concrete answer about your nose and the problem you are having, it would be necessary to have a consultation to have a concrete answer

Septum deviated to right but I feel airflow is restricted in right nostril - what's the reason for this?

Answers (6)

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