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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staff
A deviated septum occurs when the thin wall (nasal septum) between your nostrils is displaced to one side. In many people, the nasal septum is displaced — or deviated — making one nasal passage smaller.
When a deviated septum is severe, it can block one side of your nose and reduce airflow, causing difficulty breathing. The additional exposure of a deviated septum to the drying effect of airflow through the nose may sometimes contribute to crusting or bleeding in certain individuals.
Nasal obstruction can occur from a deviated nasal septum, from swelling of the tissues lining the nose, or from both. Treatment of nasal obstruction may include medications to reduce the swelling or adhesive strips that may help open the nasal passages. To correct a deviated septum, surgery is necessary.
- Fact sheet: Deviated septum. American Academy of Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery. http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/deviatedSeptum.cfm. Accessed May 6, 2013.
- Rakel RE. Textbook of Family Medicine. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2011. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/191205553-4/0/1481/0.html#. Accessed May 6, 2013.
- Septal deviation and perforation. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/ear_nose_and_throat_disorders/nose_and_paranasal_sinus_disorders/septal_deviation_and_perforation.html. Accessed May 6, 2013.
- Bhattacharyya N. Clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of nasal obstruction. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed May 6, 2013.
- Rhinoplasty. American Rhinologic Society. http://care.american-rhinologic.org/rhinoplasty_overview. Accessed May 6, 2013.
- Antihistamines, decongestants, and cold remedies. American Academy of Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery. http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/coldRemedies.cfm. Accessed May 6, 2013.
- Pallanch JF (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. June 23, 2013.
- Chaaban M, et al. Assessing nasal air flow — Options and utility. Proceedings of the American Thoracic Society. 2011;8:70.
- Wang MB. Etiologies of nasal symptoms: An overview. www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed July 8, 2013.
- Fact sheet: Your nose, the guardian of your lungs. American Academy of Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery. http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/lungGuardian.cfm. Accessed July 8, 2013.
- Corticosteroid (nasal route). Micromedex Healthcare Series. http://www.micromedex.com. Accessed July 8, 2013.
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