Why do I normally breathe through one nostril at a time?

Question

No matter how bad or good my sinuses are, I will always have one nostril that I can breathe easily through and one that I can't. I've also noticed that when I am in bed, the nostril that I can breathe through changes depending on which way I am laying my head.

I've tried blowing my nose furiously and using nasal sprays but nothing gets rid of this. What is going on with my nose?

Answer 1

Stay off the drugs and use sinutab.

Answer 2

If it bothers you, go see an ear nose and throat doctor. Otherwise, its probably OK. And the earlier answer that everybody only breathes through one nostril at a time is incorrect. I use both, unless I have a cold and am congested.

Answer 3

If you have a deviated septum, you will need a type of surgery called septoplasty. In this procedure, the surgeon will move your septum to a normal position. In some cases, the surgeon also will reshape the external appearance of your nose in a procedure called rhinoplasty. When the two procedures are done at the same time, the surgery is called a septorhinoplasty.

If your child has a deviated septum, the doctor may wait until your child's nose has finished growing before doing surgery. In most cases, this is not until age 15 or 16. Boys usually need to wait a little longer than girls because they finish growing a little later.

Prognosis

In the most cases, surgery is successful. However, a small percentage of patients choose to have a second surgery for cosmetic reasons or to improve airflow.

Prevention

You can help to prevent a deviated septum by avoiding injury to your nose. To do this, wear seat belts and shoulder harnesses whenever you ride in a car and wear well-fitting headgear to protect your face during contact sports, such as football or karate.

Symptoms

Symptoms of a deviated septum can include:

Blockage of one or both nostrils
Nasal congestion, sometimes on one side
Frequent nosebleeds
Frequent sinus infections
Facial pain, headaches, postnasal drip
Noisy breathing during sleep in infants and young children
In some cases, a person with a mildly deviated septum has symptoms only when they also have a cold or other upper respiratory tract infection. In these people, the respiratory infection causes nose tissues to swell, which can make airflow problems worse. Once the cold goes away, the symptoms of a deviated septum often go away, too.

Answer 4

it happens to my nose too I don't know why???? but I REALLY breathe out of two nostril(s) but I think im catching a cold really bad and I could hardly breathe but I didn't go to school today juss cuz' of that and I breathe REALLY cold air though one of my nostril(s)

Answer 5

Maybe your immune system is constantly running quite low and you need to eat more healthy food and exercise more.

Also make sure your property is heated and ventilated properly.

Ive had problem in the past with this and it wasn't a deviated septum.

Also look for allergies you may have. Dust mite etc vacuum your bedclothes. dairy produce is guilty of these symptoms also.

Answer 6

You probably have a deviated septum, the bone inside down the middle of your nose is crooked. I had mine fixed when I was a teenager, (I'm not that now, but I have a better looking nose)
Anyway, see a Ears, Nose and Throat specialist

Answer 7

try pushing your right nostil in (so you can't breath through it), then inhale through your left

then exhale doing the same thing but to your left (plug the left nostril and breath out through your right)

Answer 8

I have this same problem. Its called a Deviated septum, Depending on your insurance this enables you to be full covered for a nose Job.

Answer 9

Don't worry. It's normal.