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What is DNS | Deviated Nasal Septum
Here in this article let us begin by understanding What is Deviated Nasal Septum? What are the Symptoms of Deviated Nasal Septum? Causes of Deviated Nasal Septum? What are the available treatment for Deviated Septum, Septoplasty surgery cost and deviated nasal septum surgery cost in India. Firstly let’s being understanding the anatomy of nasal septum.
Anatomy of the Nasal Septum: The Nasal Septum is a partition that is present dead in the centre, separating the right nose from the left nose. This septum consists of cartilage in the front and bone in the back and the floor. When there is a deviation in the septum, it is called a deviated nasal septum, or DNS.
The deviation can be present in the front part of the nose that is in the cartilaginous part of the nose, in the back part of the nose that is the bony part of the nose, or more commonly at the junction between the bone and the cartilage that is in the floor of the nose or in the middle of the nose where the cartilage and the bone meet. The bend can take the shape of alphabet C or alphabet S, either straight or reverse.
Causes for DNS | Deviated Nasal Septum
The Most Common Causes of Deviated Nasal Septum (DNS)
Most of the people who have Deviated nasal septum are born with it. There is a theory called birth molding theory which explains this. When the baby’s in the mother’s womb, the baby’s in a universally flexed state.
The nose of the baby presses against the walls of the uterus of the mother or against its own arms and legs, and this pressure can lead to a ( DNS ). When the baby is delivered from the mother’s womb by natural delivery, the baby is usually delivered in the right occiput anterior or left occiput anterior positions. In these positions, the nose of the baby is pressed against the hip bone of the mother. Also, sometimes certain instrumentation is used to pull the baby’s head from the mother’s uterus.
These maneuvers can cause pressure on the nose and produce DNS Also, trauma is one of the most causes of deviated nasal septum. When there is an injury to the nose from contact sports such as boxing or if you are in a road traffic accident and there is an injury to your nose, your nose bones can fracture, and this can also lead to a deviated nasal septum. When you grow, your face also grows. If there is a mismatch between the growth of the palate and the nose, this can also lead to a deviated nasal septum.
Symptoms of Deviated Nasal Septum (DNS)
What are the Symptoms of Deviated Nasal Septum (DNS)?
The most common symptom is nose block. Because the Deviated nasal septum occupies the nasal passageway, the patient cannot breathe well. These patients complain of alternating nose blocks. That is when the right nose functions, the left nose is blocked. And when the left nose functions, the right nose is blocked. These patients also develop a tendency to sleep on their right side or the left side because in that position, the nose stays open and they can breathe better.
Patients with DNS have noisy breathing. They have whistling sounds coming from their nose when they breathe a little forcefully or during sleep, and their friends and family keep telling them about this. Patients with DNS can have nosebleeds.
The air when we breathe through the nose should smoothly flow over the septum. When there is a bend in the nasal septum, this can lead to the air hitting the deviated part of the septum. This leads to dryness in the area and crusting, and when the crust falls off, there can be nose bleeding.
Patients with deviated nasal septum can experience single-sided facial pain or headache. This is said to be happening because the bad part of the deviated part of the septum when it presses against the natural swellings in the nose that is the turbinates, can cause this kind of a headache.
If the deviated part of the nasal septum blocks the sinus drainage pathways, it can lead to sinusitis and the patient can start having sinusitis symptoms. Similarly, when we breathe through the nose, the air has to reach the back part of the nose. And there are two tubes called eustachian tubes through which the ears get ventilated. Because of the DNS, if this ventilation is affected, there can be fluid formation in the eardrum area and also sometimes holes in the eardrum.
Investigations & Treatment for Deviated Septum (DNS)
When a patient having deviated nasal septum, we examine his nose under the headlight. Any deviations present in the front part of the nose can easily be identified with the headlight. But you have to remember, the nose is a very deep structure extending from the front of the face all the way to the back, the throat. So we prefer to do a diagnostic nasal endoscopy, where we send an endoscope from the front of the nose to the back to identify any further deviations. Also, if we are suspecting any sinusitis symptoms in the patient, we may advise CT PNS. That is a CT scan of the nose and sinus.
At Sinus Doctor, we especially do a test called rhinomanometry, where we try to identify the extent of the nose block. This test we specifically do in patients who have already undergone septoplasty or sinus surgery but are still experiencing nose blocks. So how do we treat a patient having deviated nasal septum?
Deviated nasal septum is a very common problem. If the patient is having mild symptoms which is not very troubling, we would advise simple medications like nasal sprays, nasal washes, and antihistamines. But if the patient is having very troubling symptoms, like difficulty in sleeping, or if patient having difficulty in performing regular activities normally, then we would advise a surgery called septoplasty.
Septoplasty takes anywhere between one to two hours. It is usually done under general anaesthesia, and sometimes under local anaesthesia. In the surgery, we remove the deviated part of the nasal septum. If you would like to know more about Septoplasty surgery cost, Get an appointment with our sinus specialist in india, Dr. G V K Chaitanya Rao at Sinus Doctor.
Hope we could explain in detail about What is Deviated nasal septum, What are the Symptoms of Deviated Nasal Septum, Causes of Deviated Nasal Septum, What are the available treatment for Deviated Septum, If your looking for Septoplasty surgery in India, Septoplasty surgery cost or deviated nasal septum surgery cost in India. Get an appointment with best sinus doctor in India, Dr G V K Chaitanya Rao.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Deviated Nasal Septum
No. There are no studies indicating that the deviated nasal septum can be genetically transmitted. So no, your child will not get it from you.
No. The structural issues, like deviated nasal septum, cannot be corrected without surgery. However, if you have mild symptoms, we can use simple medications to help you with them.
Nasal septum grows up to 15 years of age. So if the child is diagnosed with a deviated nasal septum, the nasal septum can worsen until the nasal septum growth completes. The deviated nasal septum cannot grow with age in adults. However, the symptoms they experience can worsen, if the deviated nasal septum starts causing sinus issues.
No. After a well-done septoplasty, the deviated nasal septum cannot occur.
No, it cannot. Deviated nasal septum is a constant issue you’ll be having, but the symptoms you experience can worsen the night. Patients having deviated nasal septum prefer to sleep on their right side or left side because they feel comfortable and they’re able to breathe better in those positions.
Yes, you can. It is not a life-threatening condition, but why should you? If the deviated nasal septum is causing very troubling symptoms, a simple surgery can help you with getting rid of these issues.
No, it is not. There can be mild discomfort around the nose, and around the teeth area after the surgery, but we prescribe certain medications which can help you with it.
No, the surgery is done endoscopically, so there’ll be no cuts or marks visible on the outside of the face. The shape of your nose will not change with the surgery.
Yes. You will see a marked difference in your breathing after the surgery. It takes anywhere between 30 to 45 days for the complete healing complete.
With index finger, they can close their right nose and breathe through the left nose and breathe out to the left nose. Now, they can close their left nose and breathe in and breathe out through the left nose. If they’re having difficulty breathing through one side, that means they most likely have a deviated nasal septum. On the side where they have difficulty breathing, they can simply pull the nose outside by pulling on the cheek and if they’re able to breathe better, the deviated nasal septum diagnosis is confirmed.
