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Nasal
Obstruction
| One
of the
most common
clinical
problems
I see
are patients
that have
some degree
of nasal
obstruction.
Nasal
obstruction is also
referred
to as
a deviated
nasal
septum.
The nasal
septum
is a wall
of bone
and cartilage
that separates
the right
nostril
from the
left nostril.
More often
than not,
people
with nasal
obstruction
issues
feel that
they do
not have
problems
breathing
through
their
nose.
However,
there
are
four key
symptoms
that ultimately
point
to nasal
obstruction. |
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These symptoms
are:
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Facial
Pain and
Headaches |
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Excessive
Snoring
and Sleep
Apnea |
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Recurrent
Ear Infections,
Dizziness |
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Sinus
Infections |
How Do I Treat
Nasal Obstruction
Problems?
First
and foremost,
I must determine
whether there
is a current
sinus infection.
I take a detailed
history of your
past and current
problems and
do a thorough
nasal exam.
I also often
do a sinus x-ray
to rule out
a sinus infection.
Those that do
not have an
active sinus
infection are
offered nasal
steroid spray
treatment, which
is used to shrink
the swelling
inside the nose
and ultimately
open up the
nasal passageways.
Those that do
not respond
well to this
treatment are
offered sinus
surgery options.
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| The
Horrors of Nasal-Sinus
Surgery-Fact
or Fiction? |
Patients
often recount
to me stories
of people that
have undergone
nasal and sinus
surgery and
told them how
awful an experience
it was. The
most common
fears I hear
are black and
blue eyes, nasal
disfigurement,
nosebleeds,
intolerable
pain and "yards
of packing"
placed in the
nose.
As a head and
neck surgeon
for the past
20 years I can
assure you that
these fears
are fiction
when it comes
to my practice.
In my hands
this is a simple
and straightforward
procedure with
minimal pain,
minimal packing
and minimal
bleeding. I
thoroughly discuss
post operative
expectations
with patients
prior to the
surgery and
answer any and
all questions
in order to
alleviate the
"fear of
the unknown".
My patients
are also provided
with written
instructions
and expectations
prior to the
surgery for
them to refer
to. The vast
majority of
my patients
tell me after
their surgery,
"Thank
you for making
it so painless
and simple."
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Comments |
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