Recently I got an email from Scott, who had just been diagnosed with a "deviated septum". He has daily headaches, and was wondering if a deviated septum could be responsible.
First, a little background. What is a deviated septum?
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Your nasal septum is the partition between the right and left parts of your nose. When a person has a deviated septum, it’s pulled over to one side or the other (the one in the illustration is deviated to your left).
There can be a number of causes, and sometimes we can’t be sure why one particular person has a deviation. Sometimes surgery can cause this, or an injury, or perhaps a traumatic birth, or it may even occur during the baby’s development in the womb.
Question #1 – can a deviated septum trigger headache symptoms? Yes, in some people it can.
Question #2 – how likely is it that a deviated septum is the primary trigger or cause? In other words, what are the chances that surgery will solve the headache problem in any given person? In most cases, it’s not very likely that surgery will solve your headache problem.
A deviated septum is actually very common – 4 in 5 people have it. One way to see if you might have a deviation is to try breathing through either nostril while blocking the other. If there’s a significant difference in air flow, you may have a deviation.
There are at least two reasons this may cause headaches. Most commonly, the septum may block mucus, causing frequent recurring sinus infection. That’s a major recipe for a headache!
Drs Young and Silberstein have also noticed a different kind of "deviated septum headache", which they write about in their book Migraine and Other Headaches:
Rarely, a deviated septum may cause a one-sided headache on the side toward which the septum deviates. If the septum deviation is causing the headache, placing a small piece of paper soaked in an anesthetic (lidocaine or Novocaine®) will relieve the headache. The treatment is surgical straightening of the deviated sinus.
Note that this is rare – it’s more likely that, if you have problems, it will be with a sinus infection.
If neither of these situations seem to fit you, chances are surgery will not help.
If you do opt for surgery, it’s called a septoplasty, and it’s done in a day. It usually won’t change the look of your nose. It is a fairly safe surgery, though with all surgery there are risks. It won’t instantly cure sinus infections, but it can make you less susceptible. The more deviated the septum was, the greater the improvement usually is. Read more about surgery for a deviated septum here.
Have you had experience with surgery for a deviated septum? Did it help you with your headaches? Leave a comment and tell us about it.
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{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi
Three septoplasties for deviated septum ,and opening up very small opening to sinuses (ethmoid) Sinus infections are gone. Sinus headaches are gone.Breathing and stuffiness normalized. NO more antibiotics!!!! 6 years.BUT Migraines/clusters? not. Related to weather/ hormones ????. Searching for answers and cause . Getting little help. Surgery may have worsened? Is it possible, perhaps scaring?Things just keep getting worse.
Hello,
I would like to know what kind of remedies, natural or other, are available for persistent migraine-type headaches caused by a deviated septum. I’ve tried just about everything, but nothing seems to give any significant relief.
I have a history of sinus infections. For the past few months I have gotten worse with symptoms such as post nasal drip, nothing flowing through the nostrils, headache, facial pain, ears cracking and congestion. About 8 years ago I saw an ear, nose & throat specialist and was told there was nothing wrong and that there is no such thing as a sinus infection. I have been using sinus rinse but it is not helping a whole lot. If anyone has any suggestions, it would be greatly appreciated.
I’ve been suffering with sinuses pain as well for about two years, my ENT told me to use Nazalcorth which has helped me, but not to use it too often, you can use it for five days as prescribed by your specialist. Or also you can try going to the beach and swimming with your head under the water or you can also buy Maxi Air Nose Cones from the drug store…
Hi Karin!
You are lucky because after 3 surgeries your all problems had gone. I have gone for a septoplasty 2 times and FESS 1 time and after the surgeries i felt very little improvement in the symptoms.
I have deviated septum adenoids and turbinates surgery and also my tonsils removed. My tonsils are doing pretty good little pain from the scabies, but my nose still hurting;sometimes i can breath fine other times is stuff. What is bothering me the most is the constant headaches that dont go away. Is this is normal? my 1st visit to the surgeon he said everything was all right i dont see him again until 12/7/09. My nose is stuff sometimes other times is running and lot of sneezing. I do my saline solution but i dont think is helping. Can i take sinus pills for the heaches? Any adviced
Hi All!
i had broken my nose in my school times after that i developed recurrent throat infections, Blocked nose etc..i went to doctor in 2001 where i was diagnosed with DNS so i went through a surgery Called SMR (Sub Mucousal Resection) This surgery helped me alot but recurrent sinus & throat infection didnt go & offcourse post nasal drip i met an ENT specialist again he said there is no deviation at all & i dont need any more septoplasty. well life was horrible.. now ive started drinking Ginger Tea & gargling with Cassia Fistula and Nasal irrigation at night & it helped alot…. with u all the best
Thanks for all your comments.
It’s so important to do your research before you resort to surgery. Even so-called “simple” or “minor” surgeries can have a far-reaching impact.
There are many, many treatments for migraine and headache these days – it would truly take a lifetime to try them all. Do your research and make sure you’re trying what has the best chance of success.
Bumped heads with my son a few weeks ago and have had severe headaches ever since. Doctor diagnosed a deviated septum and possibly broken nose. Waiting to seee the speciailist. Pain is mostly centered on the front of my head/top of my nose. Almost like a sinus infection pain but not quite as spread out. Pain is horrible, Motrin/Tylenol don’t touch it. What can I do for pain relief until I can get in to see the specialist???
After repeated migraines which I thought were sinus infections my ENT had me get a CAT scan which showed a slight deviated septum. After surgery to correct it, it did not change the frequency of my migraines.
Years of headaches on one side radiating from above teeth to eye. Sinus cysts that keep getting bigger. Post nasal on same side as headaches. Had an abscess above one tooth that could ONLY be diagnosed with CT scan (normal dental xrays) and I thought that was the end of it. Well every time I brush my teeth with an electric toothbrush, it’s back and the only thing that helps is over the counter nasal spray. I even wake up unable to move affected eyelid in the morning.
I guess I need to try the local anesthetic test next, but it’s rare, right?