My nostril and septum feels so tilted on the left side that no air flows through that nostril. Do I have a deviated septum?

Question

The outside of my nose is tilted toward the left as well. I went to a doctor and he made me do X-rays and said everything was normal just my left nostril is abit blocked. He said I have chronic sinusitis but he didn’t do a physical examination he didn’t even look up my nose.he just prescribed me a spray (didn’t help)

Heather Lee, MD · Answer

Nasal obstruction can be caused by a number of reasons.  Some include chronic sinusitis which is treated medically and improve nasal airflow. However, there can also be multiple reasons, some which are structural and require surgical intervention. 
I would recommend seeking another evaluation by an otolaryngologist or experienced facial plastic surgeon who can perform a detailed examination and determine the reason(s) for your nasal obstruction. 
Best of Luck

Jeremy B. White, MD · Answer

Yes, you might have a deviated septum, but I cannot tell you for sure without a physical exam. There are many reasons for nasal obstruction and some of the more common ones are allergies that cause swelling, large turbinates, weak nasal cartilage structure, polyps, and a deviated septum. See a board certified Otolaryngologist for an exam in person, especially if those sprays aren't really helping much.

William Portuese, MD · Answer

A thorough examination of the internal portion of the nose is required to make the determination about what is causing  the nasal obstruction. A deviated septum is very common, however other issues such as turbinate hypertrophy, chronic sinusitis, valve collapse, and allergies can all create nasal obstructive issues. This needs to be sorted out at the time of the examination. A rhinoplasty is performed to straighten the crooked nose from the outside appearance. A septoplasty is performed  in the back of the nose for a deviated septum that is blocking airflow. Chronic sinusitis is addressed with endoscopic sinus surgery, however this is only performed after a CAT scan of the sinuses has performed to document the extent of the disease. For more information iand many before-and-after rhinoplasty examples, please see the link and the video below

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