A deviated septum occurs when the thin wall of cartilage and bone dividing your two nostrils is shifted or crooked, rather than sitting straight down the center. Some degree of deviation is actually very common and doesn't cause symptoms, but a more significant deviation can narrow one or both nasal passages, restricting airflow.
This can lead to symptoms like difficulty breathing through one or both nostrils, especially during exercise or while lying down, chronic nasal congestion, frequent sinus infections, and sometimes snoring or disrupted sleep. Whether your specific deviation is significant enough to warrant correction is assessed through physical examination and imaging during your in-person consultation.
Consultation Tip
Note specifically when your breathing difficulty is worse — one side versus both, during exercise, at night, or seasonally — this pattern gives Dr. Kim useful clues about the underlying cause.
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— Dr. Hyung-taek Kim, KOWON Plastic Surgery