Repairing a nasal septum perforation is one of the most important cosmetic operations to repair a hole that occurs in the cartilage of the nose as a result of various reasons. This hole is specifically in the tissue that connects the two nostrils, since the occurrence of a hole in this area causes distress and discomfort with the appearance of some symptoms. Al Mousa Health Hospital offers a specialized and competent medical team to treat this hole in the nasal septum and ways to repair it.
What is a nasal septum perforation?
A nasal septum piercing is a hole in the nasal septum between the two nostrils, because the nasal septum consists of cartilage, bone, and lining, so that air passes into the nasal cavity through these two holes. In some cases, a hole occurs in the area that separates these two nostrils and needs treatment. A nasal septum piercing may not be a serious problem, but it may cause some symptoms to appear.
Causes of perforation in the nasal septum
The occurrence of a hole in the nose may be due to some wrong practices that affect this area. This hole in the nose may occur as a result of a group of different reasons that require repair of the nasal septum hole. The most important of these reasons are the following:
- Excessive use of steroid sprays or inhaled drugs, including cocaine.
- Inhaling some harmful chemicals at work, including chromium and others, which may cause tissue irritation.
- Exposure to some types of infections, including syphilis and tuberculosis.
- Excessive cleaning of the nose may cause this hole in the nose area.
- Exposure to a broken nose.
- Infections in the nose leading to sinus infections, which causes atrophy of the nose, causing this hole to occur.
- Nasal surgery, which causes complications in the nasal area.
- Cancer or nasal swelling are rare cases.
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Symptoms of nasal septum perforation and its effect on breathing
Some people may suffer from a perforation in the nasal septum and do not know about its existence unless some symptoms that indicate it appear. If these symptoms appear, it is necessary to repair the perforation in the nasal septum to get rid of these symptoms, which are as follows:
- Dryness and peeling occur in the nose area, and these crusts that form cause obstruction of normal breathing.
- Deformity in the anterior nasal area due to the collapse of the nasal bridge.
- Nasal congestion.
- Exposure to nosebleeds.
- Or wheezing occurs when breathing through the nose.
- Nosebleeds occur, due to irritation in the sensitive tissues surrounding the piercing area, which may cause a lot of blood loss.
- Difficulty breathing, because the presence of this hole impedes the normal flow of air into the nose.
- Exposure to dryness of the mucous membranes in the nose, causing a runny nose due to a lack of fluid production inside the nose.
Methods of diagnosing nasal septal perforation
Before resorting to repairing a nasal septum perforation, the doctor relies on more than one method for diagnosis, including the following:
- The doctor performs an endoscope equipped with a camera, which is a flexible tube, to image the entire nose from the inside.
- A biopsy is taken from the nose to ensure that there is no cancerous tumor in it.
- If any tumors are discovered, the patient may need to undergo some other doctor’s tests.
- The doctor can diagnose the problem by examining the nose and noting the presence of any crusts, bloody secretions, or a foul odor coming from the nose.
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Treatment options: from conservative treatment to surgery
For anyone who suffers from a perforated nose and is looking for a way to repair a perforated nasal septum, there are many treatment options, including:
Home treatment with medications
The doctor may prescribe some home methods that can treat this problem, including using a nasal humidifier or washing the nose several times with a humidification solution, in addition to using some medicinal ointments. Home remedies and the use of ointments work to reduce the runny nose and dryness in the nose that is associated with the presence of this hole.
Installing an industrial button
The doctor can install an artificial button in the nose to fill this hole. This button is designed to fit the size of the nose and the size of the hole. This button is made of silicone or some medical material that does not cause any side effects to the patient.
When this button is installed in the nose area, the patient is exposed to local anesthesia so that he does not feel pain. This requires the patient to constantly moisturize the nose so as not to damage this button.
Surgery
Surgery is one of the options that helps repair a nasal septum perforation if other treatment methods fail to get rid of the septum in the nose.
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Steps in the process of repairing a nasal septum perforation
Surgery in the area of the nose piercing in order to get rid of it depends on determining the size of the damaged tissue from the nose, while taking part of other tissues in the body from certain areas in order to close this hole. This surgery is performed under general anesthesia, and the doctor relies on many modern medical techniques and some tools used in surgery.
The larger the hole in the nose, the more difficult the surgery is and more tissue is taken from the body to close this hole. In the case of a large hole, the doctor may resort to installing a part of silicone to stick to the nose and close this hole.
After surgery, the nasal area is bandaged for 7 days in order for a complete recovery to occur after the operation. In order for recovery to occur, recovery may take a period of between two to three weeks. After the operation, the patient should be careful to rinse the nose with a saline solution every now and then to speed up the recovery process, in addition to refraining from blowing your nose or doing strenuous exercise.
Possible complications before and after the operation
The process of repairing a nasal septum perforation is one of the surgical procedures that the patient may need in some cases, but this operation may cause some complications for the patient, including the following:
- The patient feels disturbed and uncomfortable due to swelling in the nose area, which are normal symptoms.
- If the instruments are not sterilized well, the patient may be exposed to any type of infection.
- The patient is exposed to nosebleeds, so he should not take any blood thinners before the procedure.
- After removing the bandage in the nose after several weeks, some discharge may appear in the nose.
Recovery period and post-operative care
Repairing a nasal septum perforation takes some time for a full recovery to occur after the operation. The recovery period depends on the patient’s adherence to the instructions prescribed by the doctor, and the swelling may take about a week after the operation. Ice compresses must be applied at intervals to get rid of this swelling, and the full recovery period after the operation may reach about a month at most.
After knowing the medical and therapeutic methods of repairing a nasal septum perforation, if symptoms appear that indicate the presence of a perforation in the nose, and after diagnosis, the doctor determines the most appropriate treatment method according to the condition of each patient. Al Mousa Health Hospital offers the best modern treatment techniques at the hands of a large number of doctors in various specialties.
Frequently asked questions
Does nasal septum perforation heal?
Nose piercing does not heal on its own, because it requires medical or pharmaceutical intervention depending on the size of the hole, but the surgical procedure may greatly help in healing the nose piercing.
What are the harms of nasal septum piercing?
The appearance of a hole in the nasal septum causes crusts to appear in the nose area and dryness that causes gonorrhea and bleeding in some cases, in addition to hindering normal breathing.
Can the nasal septum be treated without surgery?
If the hole is small, symptoms can be controlled by decongestants, using humidifiers that protect against dryness, or using saline douches.
Sources
https://www.webmd.com/allergies/nasal-septum-surgery