Deviated Septum

A deviated septum happens when the wall between your nostrils is off-center, making one side of your nose harder to breathe through than the other. Here's how it develops.

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How It Happens

Step by Step

A quick walkthrough of what's actually going on, so the treatment makes sense too.

1
Birth, or an injury. Some people are simply born with an off-center septum. Others develop one after a blow to the nose, even an old injury that seemed minor at the time.
2
The septum shifts. Cartilage and bone inside the nose bend or move away from the midline.
3
Airflow becomes uneven. One nasal passage ends up noticeably narrower than the other.
4
One side does more work. Over time, the narrower side struggles to keep up, leading to one-sided congestion, dryness, and irritation.

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Signs to Watch For

Common Symptoms

One-sided nasal congestion that doesn't switch sides or resolve.
Noisy breathing or snoring at night, especially when lying on a certain side.
Frequent sinus infections from poor drainage on the narrower side.
Nosebleeds from dry, irritated tissue along the deviation.
Difficulty breathing during exercise when airflow demand increases.

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Treatment Options

Septoplasty straightens the septum through the nostrils, with no visible scarring, and is often combined with turbinate reduction when both are contributing to blocked airflow.

Recovery

Most patients resume normal activity within one to two weeks.

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Deviated Septum

Step by Step

Common Symptoms

Treatment Options

Recovery

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