Ideally, the nasal septum is perfectly straight and precisely in the middle of the nose, making each side of the nasal cavity the same size. However, the nasal septum often deviates from the midline of the nose; this condition is known as a deviated nasal septum. More than 80 percent of the population has some degree of nasal septal deviation or crookedness.
At birth, the nasal septum is usually straight and remains straight throughout childhood. However, as a person ages, there is a tendency for the septum to bend to one side or the other. Sometimes the septum is bent as a result of birth trauma. Trauma plays a major factor in producing septal deviation during childhood or adult life; however, often there is no history of injury to account for the irregular septum.
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Sometimes the deviation is severe enough to cause nasal obstruction and affect breathing. Chronic nasal obstruction can contribute to headaches, sleep disorders such as snoring and obstructive sleep apnea, and impair normal breathing, forcing patients to breathe through the mouth and often affecting their daily activities.
Deviation of the septum and/or enlargement of turbinates are two of the main causes of nasal obstruction. A deviated septum can be straightened with an operation called a septoplasty.
