Which condition involves a displacement of the nasal septum?

Which condition involves a displacement of the nasal septum?

• A. Deviated septum
• B. Sleep apnea
• C. Epistaxis
• D. Nasal polyps

Answer: (A)

A deviated septum occurs when the nasal septum— the wall that normally sits along the midline to separate the two nostrils— is displaced away from the center. This displacement narrows one nasal passage, which can reduce airflow on that side and lead to symptoms like nasal congestion, a feeling of fullness, and sometimes chronic sinus infections or crusting. Traumatic injury, such as a blow to the nose in childhood, or congenital factors can cause it, and some people may have it without symptoms. This is the name for a structural displacement of the septum, which is why it best fits the scenario described. In contrast, sleep apnea involves repeated collapse of the airway during sleep rather than a displaced septum; epistaxis refers to nosebleeds from mucosal vessels; and nasal polyps are noncancerous growths in the nasal passages or sinuses caused by chronic inflammation, not a shift of the septum.

A deviated septum occurs when the nasal septum— the wall that normally sits along the midline to separate the two nostrils— is displaced away from the center. This displacement narrows one nasal passage, which can reduce airflow on that side and lead to symptoms like nasal congestion, a feeling of fullness, and sometimes chronic sinus infections or crusting. Traumatic injury, such as a blow to the nose in childhood, or congenital factors can cause it, and some people may have it without symptoms.

This is the name for a structural displacement of the septum, which is why it best fits the scenario described. In contrast, sleep apnea involves repeated collapse of the airway during sleep rather than a displaced septum; epistaxis refers to nosebleeds from mucosal vessels; and nasal polyps are noncancerous growths in the nasal passages or sinuses caused by chronic inflammation, not a shift of the septum.