Deviated Septum

A deviated septum is when the bone and cartilage that divide your nasal cavity are bent or angled.

Not all deviations require treatment, but a severe deviation can contribute to allergies, sleep apnea, snoring, sinus infections, and decreased aerobic abilities.

What Causes A Deviated Septum?

Usually a deviated septum occurs during birth or fetal development. Other causes can be from injury, trauma, or deterioration of cartilage in the nasal tip as we age.

How Are Deviated Septums Treated?

If the deviation is not too severe it may be treated with medications such as antihistamines, decongestants, and nasal steroid sprays to help reduce inflammation and congestion. If medicine doesn’t work, then surgery known as septoplasty may be used to reposition a crooked septum.

Nasal Septoplasty

This is when a surgeon repositions a septum by straightening the bent cartilage and bone. This helps with breathing, nosebleeds, sleep apnea, sinus infections, and snoring in patients who suffer from a deviated septum.

Gary Livingston has been designated an Inspire Excellence Surgeon. The award is given to recognize excellence in 3 areas of Inspire: Expertise, Patient Experience, and Clinical outcomes. Only 50 surgeons out of the current 1000 eligible Inspire surgeons have been designated Physicians of Excellence, and Dr. Livingston has been the fastest Inspire surgeon to receive this honor.

Dr. Livingston has also been named one of the Top Doctors® of 2023 by Castle Connolly.

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