Sutures are placed inside the nostrils, and not outwardly visible. This is a functional (not a cosmetic) operation which is performed through the nostrils. Septal surgery (septoplasty) consists of repositioning the septum in the midline of the nose, thereby maximally opening both nasal passages. Visualization of the blockage with an endoscopic photograph can be helpful in understanding which surgery may be indicated.
If, however, other treatments have not been successful, your symptoms are significantly bothersome, and physical findings explain your symptoms, you should consider surgery. If surgery is presented as the first and only option, consider a second opinion. Don’t be rushed into surgery unless: (1) Medical therapy has been exhausted, and (2) There is a clear correlation between your symptoms and physical findings in the nose. Therefore, although the sensation of sound around the nose is strong, the acoustic effect on the voice emerging from the mouth is less significant.īy way of treatment, it is important to understand that a number of medical treatments exist for nasal obstruction. The air in the nose resonates more by transmission of vibration through the hard palate and adjacent facial bones. Since good vocal technique involves a raised palate, air normally does not flow through the nose during singing. Although there is a physical sensation of resonance over the mask, acoustically the nose normally plays only a minor role in shaping the voice.
The issue of nasal resonance should be discussed. Singers additionally complain of decreased nasal resonance. What are the symptoms of deviated septum or enlarged turbinates? They may include: nasal obstruction, postnasal drip, snoring, sleep apnea, recurrent ear blockage, facial pain, recurrent sinusitis, and recurrent nose bleeds. If the septum is deviated to one side, quite often the turbinate on the roomier (concave) side enlarges to fill up the excess space. If the turbinates become enlarged, they can further decrease air flow through the nose. These turbinates warm and humidify the air. The nasal cavities are also occupied by turbinates, shelves of tissue that project from the outer walls into the passage. If the deviation is marked, the septum can cause nasal obstruction on either (or both) sides. It can be partly dislocated along the floor of the nose. As it runs from the front to the back, it can buckle to one side, or be S-shaped, and protrude into both nasal passages. In many cases, however, it is deviated, off-center. You can grasp your septum by placing your thumb and forefinger in the two nostrils. It is ideally perpendicular, a flat plate which arises along the floor of the nose and rises to the top, running from the tip of the nose to the back. The septum is a thin plate of cartilage and bone which separates the two nasal passages. Is such surgery beneficial? Does the voice change? Should nasal surgery be performed in the hopes of improving resonance?įunctional surgery on the nose normally involves the nasal septum or the nasal turbinates. We have received numerous questions about the effects of nasal surgery on the voice.