Deviated Septum

[Ghengis Chron]

Does anyone happen to have some worthwhile information on Deviated Septums? I have a deviated left septum, which means there is an obstruction in my left nostril that prevents air from entering and for the most part, leaving my left nostril.

My Doc prescribed me a nasal spray that I use from time to time that moistens the nostrils, but it takes like complete shit when it drips down the back of my throat.

Sometimes when I drink a cup of coffee or something with espresso in it, I get really uncomfortable.

Lately I've attributed my deviated septum to me not being able to enjoy getting high anymore.

[Ijustateagrillcheese]

Actually, i had a significantly deviated septum about 5 months ago and i got surgery. It was not a rhinoplasty because insurance doesnt cover cosmetic surgery but it was a septoplasty and a turbinate reduction. Since then i can breathe so much better through my nose. Nasal sprays only work after alot of constant use and then you become dependant on them. I recommend getting surgery. However, I dont think you can attribute not getting high to a deviated septum because there is no connection at all.

[denial102]

Actually, i had a significantly deviated septum about 5 months ago and i got surgery. It was not a rhinoplasty because insurance doesnt cover cosmetic surgery but it was a septoplasty and a turbinate reduction. Since then i can breathe so much better through my nose. Nasal sprays only work after alot of constant use and then you become dependant on them. I recommend getting surgery. However, I dont think you can attribute not getting high to a deviated septum because there is no connection at all.

not quite true.. the nose is specifically important in taste reception - without it its not great.. a good comparison would be for those who enjoy running (or the activity) - like weed taste/smell - it is comparable to running on one leg !

:<

Kinda makes sense

Hope you sort it man!

[Ghengis Chron]

Actually, i had a significantly deviated septum about 5 months ago and i got surgery. It was not a rhinoplasty because insurance doesnt cover cosmetic surgery but it was a septoplasty and a turbinate reduction. Since then i can breathe so much better through my nose. Nasal sprays only work after alot of constant use and then you become dependant on them. I recommend getting surgery. However, I dont think you can attribute not getting high to a deviated septum because there is no connection at all.

No, I said I can't enjoy being high because my Deviated Septum and lack of air makes it uncomfortable for me. I didn't say I couldn't get high.

[birdgirl73]

It's a real common problem, Genghis. A radiologist once told me that a huge percentage of people have some degree of deviation in their nasal septum. You can find out a good bit of info by Googling "deviated nasal septum" and reading those links. Generally when it impedes your breathing to the point you're uncomfortable or in pain, surgery is considered warranted and will be covered by insurance. I know it's not fun to have a cold or sinus infection with one, either. My younger sister had the problem and had hers fixed when we were in college. For her, it was not a fun surgery to recover from, but once you've healed and the inflammation has subsided, your breathing will be easier. In the old days, like 20 years ago, when a patient had a deviated septum that needed fixing and also had an unfortunately shaped nose, it was fairly common for insurance to cover a rhinoplasty (nose job) at the same time. The thinking holds that if a surgeon goes in and fixes a broken arm that is also badly disfigured on the outside, it makes sense to go ahead and correct the external disfiguration if the patient is already under anesthesia. But I don't know if that sort of combination medically necessary/cosmetic procedure is routinely allowed any more.

Good luck with your nose! I know it's not fun for nighttime breathing, either, and is especially unpleasant for people with allergies.

[angry nomad]

Yeah, in layman's terms: crooked nose. I got one too. I think it happened when I did a faceplant on to an ice ring playing tag. My best friend's brother broke my friend's nose in a fight with his brother (two grown ass men).... He got surgery to fix it, and well, i said, "Fuck that," after I saw all the pain he went through. They shoved splints all the way up into his sinuses, just on the other side of his brain.

[Ghengis Chron]

It's a real common problem, Genghis. A radiologist once told me that a huge percentage of people have some degree of deviation in their nasal septum. You can find out a good bit of info by Googling "deviated nasal septum" and reading those links. Generally when it impedes your breathing to the point you're uncomfortable or in pain, surgery is considered warranted and will be covered by insurance. I know it's not fun to have a cold or sinus infection with one, either. My younger sister had the problem and had hers fixed when we were in college. For her, it was not a fun surgery to recover from, but once you've healed and the inflammation has subsided, your breathing will be easier. In the old days, like 20 years ago, when a patient had a deviated septum that needed fixing and also had an unfortunately shaped nose, it was fairly common for insurance to cover a rhinoplasty (nose job) at the same time. The thinking holds that if a surgeon goes in and fixes a broken arm that is also badly disfigured on the outside, it makes sense to go ahead and correct the external disfiguration if the patient is already under anesthesia. But I don't know if that sort of combination medically necessary/cosmetic procedure is routinely allowed any more.

Good luck with your nose! I know it's not fun for nighttime breathing, either, and is especially unpleasant for people with allergies.

Thanks for the great replies. It has been a struggle for me, it's a little easier to deal with in cold weather, when I'm not sick that is, than in the hot, humid weather of Virginia. So I plan on getting a Septoplasty and hope for the best. The nasal spray helps a little bit, I try to only use it before bed because it just tastes too awful. I'm going to get it right before summer, probably mid-may, so I can enjoy my summer without this damn breathing issue, anyways, thanks again for the great replies, it's nice to know there are others out there that have suffered from this, as i have.

-Ghenghis