Are you experiencing difficulty breathing? It might be a Deviated Septum. But worry not, Dr. Mourad, a renowned specialist in nasal conditions and their remedies, is here to help.
Let’s start from the basics. Your nasal septum is a wall of bone and cartilage, covered with soft, moist tissue, which neatly separates your left and right nasal passages. But did you know that a perfectly straight septum is a rarity? In fact, most nasal septums have a few bends.
Struggling with a Deviated Septum? We’re Here to Help
If you’re having trouble breathing, you might have a ‘Deviated Nasal Septum’. This means your septum has a bend or curve that’s significant enough to obstruct one or both of your nasal
passages.
Yes. You may also have inferior turbinate hypertrophy which is swelling of the tissue on either side of the inside of your nose that can block your breathing. Nasal valves have been shown to be a common as a cause of nasal obstruction as the deviated nasal septum. These are the narrowest areas where air passes inside the nose and opening the valves can improve airflow and breathing. Other causes include allergies, nasal polyps, nasal tumors, trauma, congenital defects, autoimmune diseases, and others. Your otolaryngologist can look into your nose with an endoscope and let you know if there are blockages.
You will meet with Dr. Mourad where he usually spends an hour going over everything related to your surgery. He will evaluate and make sure that he can specifically tailor a custom care plan to your exact needs. During the consultation, Dr. Mourad will determine the exact nature of your complaints and the exact causes. He may prescribe medications that will assist in your complaints. Once a tailored plan is made, Dr. Mourad and his staff will take you through all the necessary information needed to make sure that your surgery happens without issue. We take care of the details so that you can have the most enjoyable experience.
Dr. Mourad views treating his patients to be nothing short of a privilege and an honor and enjoys taking the time to get to know his patients and fully understand their issues. Dr. Mourad’s office provides a boutique experience that takes you out of the mindset of being at the doctor’s office. It is a warm, comfortable environment, providing a bespoke experience.
If you have a mild septal deviation then yes. Nasal steroids can give you just enough decongestion to make you breathing better. Antihistamines will help with allergies that may improve your breathing as well. Nasal saline rinses feel good for many patients and may rinse away stagnant mucus, allergens, and impurities. Other decongestants in pill or liquid form can decongest the nose but the pills can increase blood pressure and the sprays can be addictive and give more congestion after just using a couple of days. No medicine will actually straighten the cartilage and bone that may be obstructing your nose. Ask your doctor before beginning a longer course of medication.
The only way to physically make the septum more even inside your nose is with a surgical procedure called a septoplasty. The surgery you have will depend on where you have a deviation and where you have your obstruction. If your septum deviates deeper inside of your nose then all otolaryngologists are trained to remove the deviated portion and give you a straighter septum. If you have a very anterior septal deviation, near your nostrils or even extending into your nostrils, you may want to have a facial plastic surgeon correct your septum. Facial plastic surgeons have extensive training in the cosmetic and functional front of your nose.
The recovery is not fun at all although it is generally not very painful. Most patients do have obstruction of both sides of the nose that lasts for most of the week or even until you see your doctor. Dr. Mourad provides pain medication if you need it but most of the time Tylenol or no medication is used. You return to our office one week after your procedure and your nose is decongested with any crusts removed from inside of the nose. Most patients are breathing better within a couple of weeks as the swelling inside of the nose improves.
Yes. You can have a turbinate reduction or valve repair to further improve breathing. You can also have sinus surgery or removal of polyps to improve sinus function. If you have a bump or other areas of your face that you would like addressed then you can have cosmetic surgery at the same time.
Most insurances will pay for functional surgery of the nose, that is, surgery that improves the ability of your nose to work well. Our office will check your benefits for you and let you know what your responsibility will be. We don’t believe in patient surprises and will keep you informed throughout the process. You may have co-pays, deductibles, and co-insurance which we will tell you about. We try to keep our services affordable as we all have financial responsibilities. Of course, cosmetic surgery is never covered by insurance.
Most patients who come into our office have been on all of the medications and may still not breathe well. We will discuss all the options for treatment with you. We feel that educated patients are happier and more realistic about their treatment. Our office will check your benefits and deal with insurance as much as possible. Dr. Mourad is an expert at all forms of nasal surgery and is happy to discuss your care with you. Please let us know how we can help you.