Separation inside the dew in the form of a small cartilaginous plate and connective tissue is called the nasal septum. The curvature of the nasal septum is noticeable in the very shape of the nose - the nostrils with this pathology have different sizes. This is wrong not only from an aesthetic point of view, but also from the point of view of the physiology of the human body, because in most such cases it becomes difficult for a person to breathe.
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Causes of curvature of the nasal septum
Usually, there is a hereditary predisposition to this pathology. The second “popularity” reason for the irregular septum is physical injuries. Injury is likely even during the period of gestation in the womb. In some cases, this occurs directly in childbirth.
The plate is able to deform due to prolonged nasal congestion of one part of the nose. So the body independently tried to adapt to full breathing through one nostril.
Types and types of pathology
This defect is divided into the following types:
- Physiological - inherited from generation to generation or arises due to improper development of the facial bones.
- Compensatory - occurs in cases where other diseases do not allow one of the nostrils to breathe fully, as a result of which the other expands to let as much air as possible pass through it.
- Traumatic - a classic fracture.
Among the forms of the pathology under discussion can be noted:
- change of form;
- spike - the curved cartilage is directed downward;
- bone crest - bulges in a certain direction;
- mixed curvature - a combination of several of the above types.
Symptoms and signs
If a person's nose asymmetry is visually noticeable, then most likely his septum is deformed. Deformation visualization is the most common way to determine this pathology.
However, most people do not feel discomfort and live with this disease without needing to eliminate it. But there are times when this ailment creates difficulties in everyday life with its manifestations.
A person should think about whether he has the problem under discussion if he notices the following symptoms of curvature of the nasal septum:
- difficult retraction of air masses through the nose;
- chronic rhinitis;
- chronic form of sinusitis, frontal sinusitis, sinusitis;
- Loud snoring;
- allergy;
- dry nose
- fatigue due to lack of oxygen;
- frequent headaches;
- decrease in mental activity;
- body instability in relation to infections;
- cough, sore and sore throat.
Possible consequences
Changing the structure of the septum in one way or another leads to difficulty in breathing, which in turn negatively affects the work of the body. So, a lack of oxygen can change the composition of the blood and adversely affect the vascular system. Oxygen starvation also causes persistent headaches and chronic fatigue.
Usually, people with a curved nasal septum have a constant runny nose, however, the mucus that must flow out of the nose cannot pass through the curved area and lingers in the sinuses. It becomes an ideal environment for the development of various infections.
After a while, the mucus, in which pathogens are already present, passes through the larynx into the bronchi and even into the middle ear, which leads to the development of bronchitis and otitis media. If the problem is not resolved, then bronchitis can provoke the appearance of meningitis and pneumonia, and otitis media can even deprive the patient of hearing.
Nasal septum curvature treatment
This issue is addressed by a specialist otolaryngologist. First of all, he personally examines and feels his nose, then, to clarify the diagnosis and the reasons for its occurrence, he will direct him to examinations to find out how the process is running. Based on the results of the examination, the doctor must decide which correction of the defect is best carried out, and whether urgent surgical intervention is necessary.
Septoplasty and rehabilitation
The procedure begins with the introduction of the patient under anesthesia. An endoscope is then inserted into his sinuses to see how complex the septum is. Next, the doctor exfoliates the mucous membrane in the place where it is more convenient to get to the operated part of the nose. After that, bones and cartilage that have been deformed are removed and sutures are applied.
Such an operation is possible only under general anesthesia and only according to the results of a preliminary examination. Using special equipment, the doctor moves to the septum along the nostril passages. It opens the nasal mucosa and removes an uneven area. After surgery, there are no traces left on the nose.
This operation can be performed if there is a constant nasal congestion, respiratory tract pathology or oxygen starvation of the body.
The list of contraindications is as follows:
- exacerbation of infectious diseases;
- blood clotting disorders;
- oncology.
Also, you can not intervene in patients with a very serious general condition, provoked by any other reason.
The rehabilitation period usually takes about three days. Even in the operating room, after the procedure is completed, turundas are inserted into the nose, and on top the doctor, at his discretion, can apply a plaster cast. When the patient is transferred to a general ward, he is prescribed bed rest for 2 to 3 days. During this period, the patient will find that he cannot breathe through his nose - these are normal consequences of the operation.The first days the nose will be swollen, but the swelling quickly subsides.
It is very likely that the patient will experience pain after surgery, so doctors usually prescribe painkillers.
After 3 to 4 days, the turunds are removed and the patient is discharged.
It is worth remembering that after the operation you can not engage in any sports, you should completely forget about any physical activity. It is also contraindicated to take a hot bath and shower, eat spicy and hot food. You can not bend over.
After the patient is discharged, he begins the recovery period, which lasts about three months. Throughout the first week after discharge, the nose should be washed with saline or other medicines that the doctor will prescribe, as well as remove residual blood from it. Fully nasal breathing will recover after about three weeks.
Laser treatment
This treatment option has appeared relatively recently. The treatment is as follows: the laser warms the cartilage tissue to the state of plasticine, and then the doctor itself aligns the plate itself. This procedure does not entail a postoperative recovery period, because the person’s nose is not cut, which means that the operation takes place without loss of blood.
- Of the minuses of laser alignment of the nasal septum, it is necessary to note the relative "youth" of this procedure. Therefore, doctors do not know how the treated areas of the nose will behave after, say, twenty years.
- Another problem in this operation is the scope of the laser. It affects only the soft tissue of the nasal septum, while in approximately 80% of patients, alignment requires not only cartilage, but also bone tissue.
- The third disadvantage of this kind of manipulation is their cost. If the patient wants to align even an insignificant part of the septum with a laser, he will have to pay 5 times more than the patient who would correct even the most complex curvature by a conventional operation.
Those who still want to do laser alignment should definitely check with the doctor exactly how the operation will be performed. Most surgeons with such a beautiful name tout the usual adjustment of the nasal septum by cutting the skin with a laser scalpel.
Can curvature be cured without surgery
If the curvature of the nasal septum is not significant, then it is quite possible to cure it with conservative methods. Below we consider methods of treatment without surgery.
- Correction with medicines. It is used exclusively in early childhood and the first half of the puberty, until bone tissue has yet to be strengthened. Otherwise, correction with medications will only help get rid of the symptoms during exacerbation. This method consists in the use of special drops, rinsing the nose and taking antibiotics.
- Treatment with Surgitron. The Surgitron apparatus dissects the mucous membrane with a thermal effect, but the procedure is not painful at all, and after it there are no bleeding or scars.
- Temporary treatment. Varieties: electrophoresis, iontophoresis, phototherapy, antibiotic therapy, etc. These procedures are prescribed by the doctor based on the patient's age, degree of development of the pathology and personal characteristics of a particular organism.
- Elevator treatment. The use of such tools is based on the principle of extracting a broken bone that is sunken in the nose. This method is only suitable for those patients who went to the hospital on the same day the injury was received. Then the nose can be fixed right away.
Curvature of the nasal septum in a child
Often children breathe loudly in the mouth, endlessly ask for a drink, snore. Sometimes they even have nosebleeds. This is due precisely to the curvature of the septum of the nose. Even those children who have never received head injuries are not immune from this disease. Pathology can form even in the womb due to deviations in the formation of the nose. It can be damaged during childbirth.
Often this happens when the baby is too big in relation to the mother's pelvis, or if there are difficulties in childbirth during the busy period.
Usually in children with this deviation, one part of the nose is wider than the second.
Such children:
- often and loudly breathe through the mouth;
- they feel dry in the oral cavity;
- snore;
- suffer from periodic nosebleeds.
Constant runny nose and sinusitis are also very expressive signs of a pathological change, because due to the incorrect location of the plate, the nasopharynx is more sensitive to infections.
If a specialist diagnoses a nasal plate defect in a young patient, it is recommended that septoplasty be performed after he reaches 14 years of age.
Is disease prevention possible?
In the case of congenital deformity, there can be no prophylaxis.
An adult, in order to prevent the development of pathology, should avoid situations where injuries in the skull area can be obtained. For example, hazardous sports require the use of special equipment. You should also not let catarrhal diseases provoking the development of chronic pathologies of the nose.
The considered problem is a fairly common phenomenon. But despite the seeming harmlessness, its treatment should not be delayed, since deformation can cause the appearance of more serious, already incurable diseases.
