Nasal septum deviation and enlarged turbinates

The nasal septum is a thin wall that separates the left and right sides of the nasal cavity. It is made from cartilage and bone and develops until its final size at the end of adolescence. It is not uncommon for the nasal septum to have minor deviations (bending to one side), however, on occasions the nasal septum can be deviated enough to narrow one side of the nose and cause difficulty in breathing. When there are other conditions that lead to inflammation inside the nose such as rhinitis or nasal polyps, the impact of a septal deviation can be higher leading to problems breathing through the nose.

Nasal turbinates are normal anatomical structures with a surface that plays a role in warming the air we breathe in, clearing mucus and trapping dust. Often, they can become enlarged due to inflammation from rhinitis or allergy.

If you were suffering from nasal obstruction a full understanding of other conditions is important as well as a camera examination of the inside of the nose, in order to be able to plan the best treatment to help with your conditions. This may include medical treatments to treat rhinitis or inflammation, or in some cases surgery can be performed to straighten the nasal septum and reduce the turbinates in order to improve the nasal airway to allow clear breathing.