Deviated Septum

[napnaptime]

I have a deviated septum, dx'd with obstructive sleep apnoea but with no obvious sign of obstruction, a deviated septum was noticed on examination, I breath through my mouth which my ENT believes is an adaptation to the deviated septum but I am wondering could the deviated septum be the actual obstruction even though I breathe through my mouth?

[eseedhouse]

I have a deviated septum, dx'd with obstructive sleep apnoea but with no obvious sign of obstruction, a deviated septum was noticed on examination, I breath through my mouth which my ENT believes is an adaptation to the deviated septum but I am wondering could the deviated septum be the actual obstruction even though I breathe through my mouth?

If you are breathing through your mouth then whatever is in your nose isn't obstructing your breathing, so your deviated septum is not the source of the blockage that is affecting your breathing. The most usual spot for the flow restriction or blockage is the soft palate at the back of your mouth. This is after the opening your nose breathing comes through.

It's still worth finding out if something can be done to help you nose breath, though. Hopefully short of surgery, which is a last resort in my opinion.

[Mosquitobait]

Deviated septum can cause apnea, but as many have discovered, having surgery does not necessarily eliminate the need for cpap. Just so long as you know that, I'd go for the surgery if you are otherwise healthy. My sister said it made a HUGE difference for her in both smells and flavors.

[napnaptime]

Deviated septum can cause apnea, but as many have discovered, having surgery does not necessarily eliminate the need for cpap. Just so long as you know that, I'd go for the surgery if you are otherwise healthy. My sister said it made a HUGE difference for her in both smells and flavors.

My AHI is only 7 and I get a lot of congestion.

[captzero]

I too have a deviated septum and I also wondered if it was the cause of my apnea. My Doc told me that my apnea was the result of the soft tissue in the back of my throat becoming relaxed during sleep and blocking the airway. Central sleep apnea is a much less common type of sleep apnea that involves the central nervous system, and is caused when the brain fails to signal the muscles that control breathing. Both conditions are not caused by a deviated septum. Deviated septums become a problem when trying to maximise the airflow from the machine through the nose to treat the apnea as one side (and sometimes both sides) of the nose is narrowed due to the deviation.

[napnaptime]

I too have a deviated septum and I also wondered if it was the cause of my apnea. My Doc told me that my apnea was the result of the soft tissue in the back of my throat becoming relaxed during sleep and blocking the airway. Central sleep apnea is a much less common type of sleep apnea that involves the central nervous system, and is caused when the brain fails to signal the muscles that control breathing. Both conditions are not caused by a deviated septum. Deviated septums become a problem when trying to maximise the airflow from the machine through the nose to treat the apnea as one side (and sometimes both sides) of the nose is narrowed due to the deviation.

I don't know about that I have read into it and sleep apnea can be located in a number of locations, nose, obstruction at the back of the mouth by tongue, soft palette, tonsils, insufficient space in mouth, it can also be located further down in the throat.

I am going to get my deviated septum fixed anyway so hopefully that is where the problem is.

[49er]

I too have a deviated septum and I also wondered if it was the cause of my apnea. My Doc told me that my apnea was the result of the soft tissue in the back of my throat becoming relaxed during sleep and blocking the airway. Central sleep apnea is a much less common type of sleep apnea that involves the central nervous system, and is caused when the brain fails to signal the muscles that control breathing. Both conditions are not caused by a deviated septum. Deviated septums become a problem when trying to maximise the airflow from the machine through the nose to treat the apnea as one side (and sometimes both sides) of the nose is narrowed due to the deviation.

I don't know about that I have read into it and sleep apnea can be located in a number of locations, nose, obstruction at the back of the mouth by tongue, soft palette, tonsils, insufficient space in mouth, it can also be located further down in the throat.

I am going to get my deviated septum fixed anyway so hopefully that is where the problem is.

According to Dr. Steven Park, ENT/Sleep Medicine Doc, the chances of a septoplasty curing sleep apnea are 10%. Other ENTs have said it doesn't.

Now if you are getting it fixed to improve your ability to use the pap machine, that is a very good reason to have the surgery.

Best of luck.