How do you know if your nasal septum is perforated?

examination of the outside of your nose. one or more procedures to examine the inside your nose, including rhinoscopy, nasal endoscopy, or palpation of the septum. biopsy of the perforation. possible laboratory testing, especially if a medical cause is suspected.

Can your nose collapse from a perforated septum?

Nasal Collapse: A large septal perforation can decrease support of the outside of the nose and cause the nose to collapse. This “saddling” is dramatic externally and will usually block the upper nasal airway.

How serious is a perforated septum?

A septal perforation can cause lifelong symptoms such as chronic crusting, bleeding and whistling. The local mucosal inflammation and blood often leads to an inflammation of the mucosa which can lead to mucosal breakdown and exposure of the cartilage. This in turn produces a chronic chondritis (cartilage inflammation).

Is it bad to have a hole in your septum?

Yes, a hole in the nose sounds strange, but a septal perforation can be a potentially painful and serious condition. Your septum is the strip of bone and cartilage that separates your nose into left and right nostrils. When there is a tear, defect or hole in your septum, this is known as a septal perforation.

Is perforated septum painful?

Some nasal septal perforations can cause symptoms such as bleeding and pain. Small perforations can create a whistling sound when you inhale. In cases of long-term, severe perforation, the bridge of the nose can develop a saddle-shaped deformity. Surgery can resolve these problems.

Is it normal to have a hole in your septum?

The septum, composed of cartilage and thin bone, can develop a hole (perforation) in the cartilage as a complication of previous nasal surgery, from cocaine use, excessive nose picking, trauma, cancer, or diseases such as tuberculosis, sarcoidosis, or syphilis.