Could You Benefit from Septum Surgery?

Do you consistently experience nosebleeds or severe facial pain? If so, it’s possible that you have a condition known as a deviated septum. This condition can cause a range of difficulties that we’re going to discuss below. When you meet with an otolaryngologist, or ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctor about these issues, they may advise septum surgery as a possible answer. With septum surgery, many of the issues can be solved completely while others will be far less of a concern. Let’s dive a little deeper into what this is and whether it’s the right treatment for you.

Why it’s performed

Having a deviated septum is common, but when it is severe, it can lead to a blockage in one side of the nose. This means that the airflow will be significantly reduced, and will lead to issues breathing. Some of the things that you might notice if you have this issue is that this side of your nose often crusts or bleeds due to the dry airflow. The surgery will straighten the septum, by repositioning, trimming and replacing the bone or cartilage of your septum. If you are unsure about whether or not you need this surgery, consult your ENT and they will be able to give you advice on whether you could benefit from having septum surgery.

How to prepare

Before you can have this kind of surgery, you need to meet with your ENT to discuss all of the benefits and your expectations. Your doctor will need your complete medical history to ensure that you are a suitable candidate to undergo this procedure and they will also talk to you about your expectations following the surgery. It is important to control your expectations, and your ENT will be able to give you advice on what you results you can expect.

A physical examination will also need to be conducted so that the ear, nose and throat specialist knows what they are working with. This will include an inspection of the skin around your nose. After this, photographs will be taken of your nose from various different angles to help the ENT throughout surgery.

After the surgery

Once you have had the treatment, you will usually go through a short period of recovery. After the anesthesia has worn off, you will be able to go home. However, it’s important to note that you will often have severe bleeding and swelling of the noise and or face. Your nose will be packed with cotton to prevent high levels of bleeding and this can be removed quite quickly within just a couple of days.

You do need to avoid drugs that cause the blood to thin. That includes common painkillers like aspirin. This can make finding the right pain treatment difficult. Ask your ENT doctor about this and they will advise you on what you can do or what you can take to avoid the potential pain.

Results

Even though after your initial surgery your results are likely to be stable, as you get older your nose might gradually start to reshape. Many people have found that after they have undergone this surgery, their symptoms such as difficulty breathing have greatly improved, leading them to live a happier and fuller life.