We often hear the following sentence from many patients who come to our clinic: “"I'm happy with the shape of my nose, I don't want plastic surgery, but I'm tired of sleeping with my mouth open at night and waking up constantly tired."” If you frequently experience nasal congestion, breathe through your mouth, and start your day feeling drained, the source of your problem may be a wall hidden right in the middle of your nose. Septum Deviation (Nasal Bone Curvature) it could be.
The nose is our body's air conditioner and first line of defense. It heats, humidifies, and filters the air. However, when your airway is blocked due to this anatomical curvature inside the nose, your body has to work much harder to get that vital oxygen. So, how does this condition, which we simply dismiss by saying "my nose is blocked," secretly strain our heart and overall health?
What is Septum Deviation?
The wall that divides the right and left nasal passages exactly down the middle, consisting of cartilage in the front and bone in the back, is called the "septum." Ideally, this wall should be straight in the middle. However, due to congenital reasons, falls and injuries during childhood, or genetic factors, this wall can curve to one side (or both sides). This curved wall narrows or completely closes the airway. This condition is called septum. Septum Deviation It is given a name.
What alarms does difficulty breathing trigger in your body?
When your nose is blocked, your body automatically switches to mouth breathing, saying, "I need oxygen!" However, mouth breathing is not a natural or healthy method. The damage that a deviated septum causes to your body includes the following:
- The Burden on the Cardiovascular System: When you breathe through your mouth at night, the oxygen level in your blood drops. The brain, sensing that the organs aren't getting enough oxygen, orders the heart to "beat faster and pump more blood!" The heart, which should be resting overnight, works like a marathon runner. In the long term, this can lead to high blood pressure, heart enlargement, and arrhythmias.
- Chronic Fatigue and Sleep Disorders: A night without oxygen means poor sleep quality. Even if you've slept for hours, you'll wake up feeling battered, and experience lack of concentration and irritability throughout the day.
- Frequent Pharyngitis and Throat Infections: Dry, germ-laden air, which the nose cannot warm and humidify, hits your throat directly. Dry mouth in the mornings, cracked lips, and persistent sore throats are the most classic consequences of a deviated septum.
- Snoring and Sleep Apnea: Narrowed airways can become completely blocked at night as the muscles relax, leading to loud snoring and episodes of sleep apnea (cessation of breathing during sleep).
Breathe Easier with Septoplasty (Deviation Surgery)
Deviation is not a condition that can be corrected with medication or nasal sprays; since it is an anatomical obstruction, its definitive treatment is surgery. It is one of the most frequently performed operations in ENT practice and miraculously improves the patient's quality of life. Septoplasty income.
- Inside Intervention Only: Unless an aesthetic procedure (rhinoplasty) is performed, there will be no change in the external shape of the nose. The entire procedure is done through the inside of the nostrils, so there will be no external incisions, bruising, or swelling.
- Say Goodbye to Tampon Fear: The old-fashioned, meter-long gauze tampons are no longer used. Thanks to the "silicone-leaf grooved splints" that we place inside the nose after surgery, our patients can continue breathing through those openings as soon as they leave the operating room.
- Fast Recovery: Following this operation, which lasts an average of 45 minutes, our patients are usually discharged the same day and can return to their normal lives within a few days. The moment of relief when our patients say, "I haven't been breathing properly for years!" after the silicone implants are removed is the greatest reward of surgery.
If you too want to get rid of chronic nasal congestion, protect your heart, and enjoy the taste of real oxygen, you can schedule an appointment at the ENT Clinic of Medical Park Bahçelievler Hospital and contact us for a detailed endoscopic examination.
