Can a deviated septum be seen from the outside?

Written by Zhang Jun
Otolaryngology
Updated on February 05, 2025
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A deviated nasal septum is not apparent externally; it requires a hospital examination including a nasal endoscopy and a sinus CT scan for a definitive diagnosis. A deviated nasal septum is a common and frequently occurring condition in otolaryngology, with about 90% of people having some degree of deviation. This condition is mainly due to abnormal nasal septum development during the embryonic stage or due to trauma to the nasal septum or compression from nasal tumors occurring later. When the nasal septum deviates to one or both sides, it primarily causes persistent, progressive nasal obstruction on both sides. It also accompanies symptoms like mucous nasal discharge, a sense of swelling or a foreign body in the nasal cavity, facial pain, and headaches. A deviated nasal septum can also lead to complications such as sinusitis and nasal polyps. Diagnosis can be confirmed at a hospital with a nasal endoscopy and sinus CT scan. Treatment involves surgical correction of the deviated nasal septum, which can cure the condition.

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Written by Li Mao Cai
Otolaryngology
1min 12sec home-news-image

What are the dangers of a deviated septum?

The main harms of a deviated nasal septum include several points, mainly causing uncomfortable symptoms. Firstly, the most common symptom is nasal congestion, which is often unilateral, meaning one side of the nose is blocked depending on the side the septum is deviated towards while the other side remains relatively normal. Severe deviation to one side can cause blocked sensation in the nose, or it can affect both sides leading to bilateral congestion. The type of deviation, such as a simple deviation or an S-shaped one where both the front and back are deviated in different directions, can result in blockage in both nasal passages. Another issue is nosebleeds. Sometimes, the deviated septum can form a sharp edge, making the nasal mucosa fragile or piercing other areas, which can easily cause bleeding. Additionally, it can cause headaches due to the pressure exerted on the concha of the opposite side by the deviated septum. It also leads to conditions like rhinitis and sinusitis because the deviation affects the drainage of the nasal cavities and sinuses, resulting in secondary sinusitis, which causes long-term headaches, discomfort, and a series of sinusitis symptoms.

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Written by Deng Bang Yu
Otolaryngology
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How to treat enlarged turbinates and a deviated nasal septum?

For the condition of enlarged turbinates and a deviated nasal septum, we need to understand that these are pathological changes in the anatomical structure of the nose. In dealing with anomalies in the anatomical structure, our first step should be to perform a CT scan, then assess the extent of the enlargement of the turbinates and the deviation of the nasal septum. If the condition is severe, and there are relatively prominent symptoms such as nasal congestion, nosebleeds, and even headaches, then we should consider correcting these abnormal structures surgically, by removing these anomalies or correcting the deviated nasal septum or addressing the factors causing the turbinate hypertrophy. If there are no significant symptoms or only minor deviation or enlargement, treatment usually involves medication, primarily nasal sprays such as intranasal corticosteroids. In summary, there are mainly two treatment methods: surgical and medical treatments.

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Written by Deng Bang Yu
Otolaryngology
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Is surgery necessary for a deviated septum?

Nasal septal deviation refers to the situation where the cartilage and bone tissue of the nasal septum lean toward one side of the nasal cavity, representing a structural deviation. However, having just this deviation is insufficient for a complete diagnosis of a deviated septum. Symptoms such as nasal congestion, nosebleeds, and headaches must also be present to fully diagnose it. Treatment for a nasal septal deviation often involves surgical correction; however, surgery is not necessary for asymptomatic individuals with mere structural deviation. Surgery is opted for cases with structural deviation accompanied by symptoms like nasal congestion, nosebleeds, and headaches.

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Written by Yao Jun
Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
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Does it hurt to remove the stitches from a deviated nasal septum surgery?

Nasal septum deviation is a common surgical procedure in otolaryngology, primarily involving the misalignment of the septal cartilage, which affects the ventilation and drainage of the nasal cavity. This can cause symptoms such as nosebleeds and headaches. Thus, submucous resection of the nasal septum is a routine surgery. Generally, by observing the condition of the wound, if there is no protrusion, tearing, and the alignment is good, it is usually not necessary to stitch. If stitching is done, the stitches are removed after 7 to 8 days. The doctor moistens the nasal cavity with saline, cleaning out any nasal scabs. If pain is a concern, surface anesthesia can be applied using a tetracaine epinephrine cotton swab. Removing the stitches in this way will not be painful. Even without anesthesia, removing stitches feels like a mosquito bite and is not very painful, so there should not be much concern.

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Written by Zhang Jun
Otolaryngology
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Can a deviated nasal septum be treated without surgery?

Whether surgery is required for a deviated septum primarily depends on the clinical symptoms of the patient. Deviated septum is a common condition in otolaryngology, with over 90% of people having some form of septal deviation. It is mainly caused by abnormal development of the nasal septum during the embryonic stage or by later traumatic injuries, fractures, or pressure from nasal tumors causing the septum to deviate to one or both sides. After the septum deviates, it can lead to persistent nasal congestion and is also associated with pain in the eyes and face, and headaches. A deviated septum can also lead to complications such as sinusitis and nasal polyps. A detailed examination at a hospital, typically using an endoscope, can confirm the diagnosis. If a patient with a deviated septum experiences no symptoms, no treatment may be necessary. However, if the patient suffers from persistent nasal congestion accompanied by headaches, then localized corrective surgery may be required.