Understanding Deviated Septum: Causes, Symptoms, and Diagnosis

admin January 10, 2024 0 Comments

What is a Deviated Septum?

A deviated septum displaces the nasal septum,the cartilage dividing the nose into left and right chambers. When this septum shifts away from the midline,it causes congestion and breathing difficulty in the smaller chamber. Meanwhile,the larger chamber can suffer from drying,leading to crusting or bleeding.

Common Causes of Deviated Septum

Most people have deviated septums that cause no to minor symptoms. However,there are causes of deviated septums that can cause significant symptoms:

  1. Congenital Factors: Some deviated septums are present from birth and may result from genetic factors.
  2. Nose Injuries: Trauma or injury to the nose can displace the nasal septum,causing deviation.
  3. Aging: As individuals age,the nasal septum can naturally grow asymmetrically,leading to a deviated septum that may worsen over time.

Recognizing Deviated Septum Symptoms

A deviated septum can have severe symptoms affecting a person’s everyday life.

  • Nasal Drying and Nosebleeds: A widened nasal chamber due to the deviation can cause nasal drying,leading to nosebleeds.
  • Nasal Congestion: The narrower nasal passage resulting from a deviated septum can cause:
    • Recurring sinus infections or sinusitis
    • Sinus pressure
    • Headaches
    • Facial pain
    • Noisy breathing
    • Snoring
    • Sleep apnea or breathing difficulties during sleep
    • Difficulty breathing,potentially leading to chronic mouth breathing
  • Consult a Doctor if Symptoms Persist: 
    • Chronic nasal congestion
    • Recurrent sinus infections
    • Frequent nosebleeds

Diagnosing a Deviated Septum

To diagnose if a person has a deviated septum,your healthcare provider will do the following procedures:

  1. Medical History Documentation: Your healthcare provider will inquire about your medical history,specifically any prior nose injuries and the symptoms you’ve been experiencing.
  2. Physical Examination: They’ll conduct a detailed examination of the outside and inside of your nose using a bright light and a nasal speculum to widen the nostrils for a closer look.
  3. Nasal Endoscopy: In some cases,a nasal endoscopy may be conducted. This procedure involves:
    • Applying a decongestant spray with lidocaine to numb the nasal cavity.
    • Using a tube scope equipped with a light and camera to inspect the nasal passages,with the visuals displayed on a monitor.
    • Afterward,a decongestant spray is applied again for comfort.
  4. CT Scan: A CT scan may be recommended to assess the severity of the deviated septum and related symptoms through detailed imaging.

How Sinus Surgery Can Help Correct a Deviated Septum

When medical therapy does not alleviate the symptoms you’re experiencing,surgery to correct the deviated septum can be recommended.

Septoplasty involves repositioning and aligning the nasal septum to the center of the nose and improving nasal airflow. Sometimes,a surgeon may recommend sinus surgery to minimize sinus infections or rhinoplasty to reshape the nose.

Post-Operative Care Following Nasal Surgery: Essential Steps for Recovery

After nasal surgery,here’s what you should keep in mind for post-operative care:

  • Immediate Post-Surgery: The anesthesia effects will wear off after about 24 hours. During this time,avoid driving,drinking alcohol,or making important decisions.
  • Cleaning and Hygiene: For the first 24 hours,avoiding showering or bathing is best. Instead,your healthcare provider will demonstrate how to clean the nose area using Q-tips and a specific cleaning solution.
  • Managing Pain and Swelling: Post-surgery,you might experience pain,bruising,and swelling in your face and nose. Ensure you’ve filled out any prescribed pain medication. Ice packs (covered to prevent moisture) can help reduce pain and swelling. Sleeping with your head elevated on two pillows can also aid in minimizing swelling.
  • Rest and Avoidance of Pressure: Rest is crucial for the first 24 hours after surgery. Avoid putting pressure on your nose,so avoid touching or blowing it. Activities that strain your face,such as heavy lifting,should be avoided for two weeks. Depending on your doctor’s recommendations,returning to work might be feasible after a week.
  • Removal of Packing and Splints: Typically,nasal packing is removed 24-36 hours after surgery,while splints come off after 1-2 weeks.

If you experience worsening symptoms,please call your doctor:

  • Heavy nosebleeds
  • Worsening pain
  • Difficulty breathing
  • High fever
  • Headaches
  • Neck stiffness

Prognosis

Regarding the prognosis after surgery,some people’s septum will deviate due to age or preexisting conditions. When that happens,another septoplasty is performed by their healthcare providers.

Most people who underwent septoplasty report relief of their symptoms. With better nasal health comes a better quality of life. People experience breathing improvement and sleep quality. Sinus surgery also alleviates chronic sinusitis,positively impacting people’s daily activities and well-being.

To learn more about Sinus Surgeries click the link below for more information. 

Dr. Amy Anstead | Find Sinus Relief Today

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Medical Evidence for Disability: What Do You Need to Know

admin September 1, 2023 0 Comments

The goal of an SSA analyst is to determine if you fall under their definition of disability so that you can claim long-term disability benefits. As a claimant,you’re responsible for providing medical evidence of your impairments and their severity. While SSA can gather the evidence based on your list of resources,having proof ready makes processing your benefits faster.

Submitting Medical Evidence Scenarios

The SSA analyst will need medical evidence such as copies of your medical records,health worker reports,and recent test results. However,there are some misconceptions people may have that they unintentionally delay filing their claims. Here are some scenarios we hope to clear up:

Scenario 1: You have your copies of medical evidence

Submit them immediately. When you have it ready,it makes filing your claims faster.

Scenario 2: You have incomplete copies of medical evidence

Submit the ones you have immediately. Applying early may help you retain your disability benefits. SSA will do the rest by contacting your medical source(s) to send your other evidence to them. Or you can gather the rest to make the process faster. 

Scenario 3: The obtained evidence from you and your medical source(s) is insufficient 

The SSA analyst will ask you to undergo a Consultative Examination (CE) paid from their pocket. However,SSA may prefer an independent medical source to your hospital or clinic to conduct the CE.

The Three Keys for a Strong Medical Evidence

Ideally,CE is a convenient way for claimants to get a complete and detailed medical record sufficient for SSA. But to save time and energy,you can build robust medical evidence to make your process faster without requiring CE or making several trips to the SSA.

Admissible evidence must have the following:

  1. Severity of impairment(s),
  2. Duration of the impairment(s),and 
  3. Limited functions that the impairments cause (walking,lifting,going to the bathroom,etc.)

We can use SSA CE’s objective and subjective evidence requirements to show the severity and duration of impairment(s) and how it limits the claimant. 

How to Strengthen a Disability Case with Objective Evidence

Objective evidence is measurable or clear signs of abnormalities that cannot be faked or exaggerated:

  • Get all recommended diagnostic and laboratory testing.
  • Have additional testing to provide more accurate proof of your symptoms and limitations.
  • Create a detailed list of your medical appointments. 

How to Strengthen a Disability Case with Subjective Evidence

Subjective evidence is documented symptoms experienced by the claimant. The more consistent the subjective evidence is,the stronger it is as evidence:

  • Reporting all your symptoms to your doctors at every appointment for proper documentation
  • Following your doctors’ prescriptions and recommended treatments (non-compliance can be seen as disinterest in getting better)
  • Keep a detailed record of your medications and their side effects to give SSA an understanding of how your meds can impact your daily living

How to Strengthen a Disability Case with Medical Expert Opinion

Your healthcare provider’s assessment of your condition can provide insightful information on how it impacts your life. A signed evaluation or narrative letter of your chief complaint(s) can strengthen your case.

Getting treated frequently helps your doctor be familiar with your conditions and their consistency within your medical record.

How Marken Law Can Help You

Consistency among the objective and subjective evidence and medical consultation strengthens your disability case. At Marken Law,we review your disability case for inconsistencies and missing requirements. Then,we add more supportive medical opinions to create your extensive medical evidence. 

Depending on the case,here are our methods to make explicit disability claims for you:

  • Interview your doctor through a questionnaire. The questionnaire we provide is relevant to your specific conditions. The results are drafted so the SSA analyst understands how your condition limits your daily activities.
  • Collect clarifying answers for you. We contact your healthcare providers on conflicting data,unexplained findings,and complicated conditions so the SSA analyst does not have to.
  • Get medical opinions from our medical network. As lawyers licensed in Washington,Idaho,Oregon,and California,our medical connections objectively review your medical evidence,and we record their evaluations. Their evaluations can support the expert opinions of your healthcare providers.

Glaring medical evidence cannot be ignored. To get approval for your disability claims fast,you’ll need to get everything right. 

To learn more about this,please check out disability

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