Can a Deviated Septum Cause Snoring?
So you are snoring, and you think it is the septum that is the cause of all your discomfort and lack of sleep. Most people have a septum that is out of proportion or out of position, and that may cause many different things.
One of the main problems that is caused by an abnormal septum is difficulty breathing through the nose. And the ever-present snoring during a sleeping session may also be the cause of the bone wall that separates the nasal cavity.
This bone wall that separates the left nasal cavity from the right one is called the septum and might be the problem.
What Causes a Deviated Septum?
Let’s take a look at what causes deviated septums to start with.
Birth Defect
This can be a condition that occurs during the forming stage of the fetus, and a person can be born with the defect. It is, according to the professionals, quite a common phenomenon among the human race and is present in a large percentage of people.
It can also be caused during the birth process where the septum is moved to one side, causing unequal sizes of nasal cavities. There might be no symptoms present at all or ones that will only be noticed at a later stage.
This simply means that the thin bone wall that separates the nasal cavities in the nose is off-center or out of position. It may cause blockage of airflow through the nose if the nasal septum deviates too far from the original position.
Injury
A deviated septum can be caused by injuries and especially occurs when people take part in contact sports like boxing or football. An injury to the nasal septum may cause it to move out of position, and there might be immediate symptoms.
It is a common problem among men that take part in contact sports during their childhood and show symptoms later. This is changing with women taking part in contact sports as well, making it more equal in men and women having it.
Many contact sports may cause such an injury even if you only lightly bump your nose regularly. This may cause problems at a later stage of your life when you get older or develop sinus problems or allergies.
If you were in a motor accident, and there were some injuries to your face, a deviated nasal septum may be one of the damages. This you may not even know about because there may not be any apparent symptoms present at that stage.
This type of injury may even occur with children while they are playing a bit hard and hurt each other. It is a natural thing that may happen among young children when they accidentally bump their nose against someone’s head.
Symptoms
Most of the time, there are no symptoms present if you have a deviated nasal septum, but sometimes there are. So many people do not even know that they have a problem until the symptoms start showing at a later age.
Difficulty breathing through one or both nostrils: This may occur if the airflow is obstructed by the off-center nasal septum. It can be more obvious when you have a cold or allergies that cause the nasal passage to swell and narrow the airway.
Regular bleeding from the nose: This may occur because the nasal septum becomes dry and may cause some bleeding.
Noisy breathing: This may be more apparent while you are sleeping and may sound like snoring.
Excessive snoring: It couldn’t hurt to see a nasal specialist. Excessive snoring may be caused by a deviated nasal septum problem and can be treated with medicine.
Treatments
All these symptoms can be treated with regular sinusitis medication to open the airway of the nostrils for better airflow. A normal nasal spray may also help to relieve the symptoms of a narrowed or blocked nasal passage and lower the swelling.
Most symptoms will only show if you have a severe case of a deviated nasal septum that blocks the airflow through your nose. And the symptoms will also show if there are physical changes in your body, like gaining weight or having allergies.
Lose weight: If you have a deviated nasal septum and you are overweight, the soft tissue may cause snoring when you relax. This can be avoided by losing weight and having a healthier diet that includes lots of water or other fluids.
Surgery: This is the only way to fix a deviated nasal septum and help to better the airflow through your nose.
Does a Deviated Septum Cause Snoring?
A deviated septum can cause snoring if you have difficulty breathing through your nose, and the effects may show while you are sleeping. This is why you may snore if you have a deviated nasal septum if it is a severe case.
As mentioned before, you may not know that you have this problem until some other things are going wrong. People with a deviated septum may have worse symptoms when they have allergies because of it.
So if you suddenly start snoring at some stage, see your doctor for a thorough examination of the nose area. This may primarily occur when you get older and gain some weight, and if the snoring gets worse, the septum may be the problem.
Snoring may not just have one cause, and it is always better to get some professional advice for excessive snoring. But the fact is, even a light case of a deviated nasal septum may cause excessive snoring.
Conclusion
It is never a good idea to try to fix something that may be wrong with your body on your own. Be sure to see a doctor if you are experiencing excessive snoring to make sure if it can be treated.
In most cases, only medicinal treatment will help to reduce the symptoms, but sometimes it may become necessary to use surgery. It will be good for your health to get the problem treated by a medical professional.
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