Complications | Nasal septum curvature

Complications

If a nasal septum curvature already exists, it can lead to a deterioration in the sense of a vicious circle. In the less ventilated, narrow and warm nose, more germs automatically accumulate. These are mostly viruses and bacteria.

The nasal mucosa reacts to this with increased mucus production. This leads to a cold (rhinitis). In this humid environment, the few bacteria are now also happy to proliferate and drive the mucus production of the nasal mucosa more and more.

If the rhinitis or cold lasts too long, the neighbouring mucous membranes in the throat and the paranasal sinuses soon become inflamed. This leads to pharyngitis (inflammation of the pharynx) or sinusitis (inflammation of the paranasal sinuses). If you now look at your throat in the mirror, you will see a strong redness and sometimes whitish mucus running down the throat wall.

If this condition is not treated now, the patient suffers from the fact that for days and nights he can hardly breathe through his nose and has his mouth slightly open for breathing. This again creates a new problem. The air inhaled through the mouth is neither heated nor filtered and thus reaches the palatal tonsils (tonsils), the pharynx and the bronchi of the lungs.

Together with the slimy throat, viruses and bacteria in the respiratory tract, the cold and dusty air can also cause new inflammation in neighbouring tissues. Anyone who notices swallowing difficulties now already has an inflammation of the palatal tonsils (tonsillitis), a slight cough already indicates irritation or inflammation of the bronchi (acute bronchitis). Nasal breathing, which is already difficult, makes it difficult to fall asleep and sleep through the night, and may lead to snoring. During the day, you feel tired or have headaches.

Frequency distribution

If all people were to be examined for the condition of their nasal septum, 80% of them would show a slight curvature of the nasal septum (septum deviation). A slight displacement of the nasal septum can therefore be considered normal (physiological) and does not usually affect the person.