DEVIATED NASAL SEPTUM

Singapore's humid climate can often aggravate nasal issues like allergies or sinusitis, making early recognition of a deviated septum crucial. While many people have some degree of deviation, a more pronounced curvature can cause breathing difficulties, snoring, sinus infections, or poor sleep. Being aware allows you to seek timely evaluation and treatment from a specialist.

What Is a Deviated Nasal Septum?

Picture a thin wall that divides your nasal passages, like a centre line running down a road; that is the nasal septum. Ideally, it evenly divides your nose into equal passages. However, if this line swerves to one side, making one passage narrower, you have a deviated septum.

What Are the Causes of Deviated Nasal Septum?

Understanding whether a deviated septum is congenital or acquired helps guide treatment, especially when symptoms such as breathing difficulty or nasal congestion persist.
A condition present from birth

Some people are born with a deviated nasal septum due to irregular development in the womb. The septum may shift during foetal growth or result from a challenging delivery, especially in cases involving prolonged labour or the use of delivery instruments. This type of deviation is typically noticed early in life and may worsen as the face matures.

Acquired Conditions

 Trauma to the face is a common cause of septal displacement. Whether from falls, contact sports, accidents, or physical altercations, even minor impacts can lead to misalignment, particularly in children with their more delicate nasal structures. Additionally, age-related changes in cartilage and bone may subtly shift the septum over time, even without obvious injury. This gradual drift can slowly impair nasal airflow.

Signs & Symptoms of a Deviated Nasal Septum

A deviated nasal septum often goes undetected. A majority of people with this condition do not experience any noticeable symptoms. However, if your deviated nasal septum is more pronounced, you might observe:

• Difficulty Breathing – like trying to inhale through a straw due to blocked nostrils. This is especially noticeable when a cold or allergies cause your nasal passages to swell.

• Frequent Nosebleeds – provoked by the drying out of the skin over the nasal septum.

• Noisy Breathing While Sleeping – because of the turbulent airflow through the nose in the presence of a deviated septum

• A Particular Sleeping Preference – favouring one side to breathe more comfortably, given the narrowing of one nasal passage

• Facial Pain – can cause uneven airflow through the nasal passages, leading to pressure build-up in one or both sides of the face.