When I was little I broke my septum. Now I have a deviated septum. It can be difficult to breathe on one side of my nose. It doesn't bother me much during the day, but at night, if I sleep on the deviated side, that side gets noticeably clogged. My ENT doctor recommends I get a septoplasty done. He said he would remove the cartilage& bone that is deviated. To me it looks like a lot of bone & cartilage to remove. Will my nose be weaker after this? Are there any other options or recommendations?
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Answers (6)
From board-certified doctors and trusted medical professionals
There are a host of maneuvers that can be achieved to open the airway in someone that has a deviated septum. Most of the septum is made of cartilage which can be molded to maximize airflow inside the nose.
Not all septums are the same, and thus, not all septoplasties are alike. You need to have your septum carefully examined by an experienced surgeon to determine what kind of septoplasty you will need. A surgeon can shorten the nose with a septoplasty, but he/she could also do a septoplasty...
Hello ara2189,Thanks for your question.Most people with a deviated septum who have not had nasal trauma were born with the deviation.Cocaine use decreases blood supply to septal tissue, thinning it out and ultimately weakening it. Chronic nasal cocaine users literally burn a hole into...