How To Test at Home for a Deviated Septum

If you’re struggling to get enough sleep at night, you may have sleep apnea. According to the American Medical Association, it is likely that 30 million Americans have sleep apnea, but only 6 million are diagnosed. One cause of sleep apnea is nasal congestion caused by a deviated septum.

What Is A Deviated Septum?

Everybody has a thin wall of cartilage in their nose that separates their nasal passages. This is called the nasal septum. If the nasal septum is off-center, it is called a deviated septum. People with a deviated septum have one nasal passage that is smaller than the other, which can cause difficulty breathing.

How Is A Deviated Septum Related to Sleep Apnea?

Sleep apnea occurs when your airway is frequently blocked as you sleep. A deviated septum itself does not cause sleep apnea. Rather, sleep apnea can be caused if your deviated septum causes severe nasal congestion. This does not always occur, especially if the deviation is minor.

Deviated Septum Symptoms

In many cases, a deviated septum won’t cause any problems. But more severe deviations can cause a number of symptoms, including:

• Nasal congestion or stuffiness on one or both sides of the nose
• Difficulty breathing through one or both nostrils
• Recurring or frequent nosebleeds
• Postnasal drip
• Facial pain
• Snoring
• Reduced sense of smell or taste
• Dry mouth or sore throat upon waking up in the morning

Deviated Septum Causes

Many people are born with a deviated septum. This condition can also be caused by injury to the nose. Aging can also cause a deviated septum, or make an already deviated septum more severe.

Identifying a Deviated Septum at Home

If you think you have a deviated septum, it is easy to test at home.

Visual Exam

One way to check if you have a deviated septum is simply to tilt your head back and look in the mirror. If you notice that the central divider between your nostrils is obstructing one nostril or bent to the side, you may have a deviated septum. You can also use your camera’s phone to take a picture of the bottom of your nose if you can’t tell with the mirror method.

However, not all deviated septums are externally visible. The deviation may be higher up in the septum than you can see, so a physical test may be necessary.

Physical Test

Completely cover one nostril with a finger. Take a deep breath and focus on the air moving in and out of the uncovered nostril. Is it easy, or do you feel resistance to the airflow? Do this for the other nostril, and compare the results. If it was noticeably harder for air to flow through one nostril, this may indicate a deviated septum.

Keep in mind that these tests may not be accurate if you are experiencing sinus congestion or allergies. All results should be discussed with a doctor.

A deviated septum is just one condition that can lead to sleep apnea. Check out our range of CPAP products now to reduce your symptoms of sleep apnea.