Published Jul 21, 2026
9 minute read
If you’re trying to figure out whether you have a deviated septum, there are a few quick checks that can tell you whether your nose is worth a closer look. They won’t replace a formal exam, but they can help you notice how your nasal septum, nasal passages, and nostrils are behaving before you come in.
In a recent Instagram reel, I shared three simple ways to look at your nose a little more clearly at home: gently feeling inside your nose, checking the nostrils from underneath, and taking a strong breath in to see how each side responds. These aren’t meant to give you a definitive diagnosis without being seen by a doctor. They’re just practical clues that can help you understand what you’re noticing and decide if it’s time for an evaluation.
The key is comparison. If one side feels tighter, looks smaller, or behaves differently when you breathe, that may point to a deviated septum or another structural issue inside your nose.
The first check is exactly what it sounds like. With clean hands, gently feel inside one side of your nose, then compare it with the other side. I say “gently” for a reason. The inside surface of the nose is delicate, and the goal is not to irritate the tissue, scratch anything, or cause bleeding. You are simply trying to notice if the two sides feel noticeably different.
A deviated septum occurs when the thin wall of cartilage and bone between the left and right sides of the nasal cavity sits off-center. If the nasal septum bends into one nasal passage, you may feel a protrusion, ridge, or blockage on that side. You may also notice that your finger can move farther into one side than the other, which can be a clue that one nasal passage is narrower.
This doesn’t automatically mean you need deviated septum surgery. Almost everyone has some degree of asymmetry inside the nose, and a mildly deviated septum may not cause any real symptoms. What we are looking for is a consistent difference that lines up with what you are feeling day to day, especially if that side also feels harder to breathe through.
If you feel pain, swelling inside the nose, crusting, frequent nosebleeds, or anything that feels sharp or unusual, stop checking and come in for an exam. Troublesome nosebleeds, facial pain, or symptoms after a nose injury should be evaluated properly, especially if there is a chance the septum or cartilage has been affected.
The second check is visual. Take a clear photo from underneath your nose, looking up at your nostrils. This isn’t the most glamorous photo you will ever take, but it can be helpful.
Use bright light, keep your head as straight as possible, and take the picture from the same angle on each attempt. If you come in for a consultation, this kind of photo can help start the conversation, although an in-office physical exam gives a much better view.
What you’re looking for is asymmetry between the nostrils. One side may look smaller. One nostril may appear more closed. The base of your nose may look shifted. The septum may appear a little off-center. Sometimes the external appearance of the nose gives us hints about what’s happening deeper inside the nasal cavity.
Natural asymmetry is normal, and the face is rarely perfectly balanced from side to side. Still, if one nostril looks significantly tighter than the other and that is also the side where breathing feels more restricted, that information is useful.
During an exam, I may use my own bright light and a nasal speculum, which gently spreads open the nostril so I can see the inside surface of your nose more clearly. In some cases, a small camera may be used to evaluate your nasal passages, septum, turbinates, and nasal valves. That's how we separate a true septal deviation from swelling, allergies, enlarged turbinates, or other causes of nasal obstruction.
The third check is the one that surprises people. Take a strong breath in through your nose and watch what happens to each side. If one side collapses and the other side does not, many people assume the collapsing side is automatically the problem.
When one side doesn't move much at all, that can mean it's already too small or too restricted to pull in enough air. The side that collapses may actually be the side doing more of the work. The side that stays still may have less air intake because the nasal passage is tighter.
This can be related to a deviated nasal septum, but it can also involve the nasal valves, cartilage support, or swelling from allergies or inflammation. The nasal valves are narrow areas inside the nose that play a major role in airflow. If they are weak, narrow, or poorly supported, you may have trouble breathing even if your septum is only a little off center.
This is also why some patients are told for years that they have allergies when the real issue is structural. Allergies can make the problem worse because they cause swelling inside the nose, but medication alone may not fix an airway that is physically narrowed by the septum, nasal valves, or enlarged turbinates.
A deviated septum doesn’t always need treatment. Many people have one and never think about it. The question is how much it affects your breathing, your sinuses, and your quality of life.
Deviated septum symptoms can include nasal congestion, trouble breathing through one or both nostrils, noisy breathing during sleep, repeated sinus infections, chronic sinusitis, postnasal drip, headaches, facial pain, and frequent nosebleeds. Some patients notice that symptoms get worse during an upper respiratory tract infection or sinus infection because swelling makes an already-narrowed passage feel even tighter.
A nose injury can also cause or worsen septal deviation. This can happen after contact sports, a fall, a car accident, or any injury that shifts the bone or cartilage. Playing contact sports is a common risk factor for nasal injury, especially without facial protection.
If symptoms are mild, treatment may start with medical management. Nasal steroid sprays, saline rinses, allergy treatment, or medications to reduce inflammation can help some patients breathe more comfortably. These treatments can reduce swelling, but they do not straighten the nasal septum itself.
When the septum is badly deviated and causing ongoing nasal obstruction, surgery may be a more effective option.
A proper diagnosis starts with a physical examination. During your visit, I look at the outside of your nose, then examine the inside to see how the septum, nasal passages, turbinates, and nasal valves are working together. The goal is to understand exactly where the blockage is coming from.
Sometimes the problem is the septum. Sometimes it’s enlarged turbinates. Sometimes it’s a nasal valve collapse. Sometimes it’s swelling from allergies, a respiratory infection, or inflammation in the sinuses. Often, it's a combination.
That distinction is important because the treatment has to match the cause. Septoplasty, sometimes commonly called septum surgery, is the procedure used to straighten the nasal septum and improve airflow. It's usually performed on an outpatient basis, and it may be combined with other nasal surgery if additional structures are contributing to the blockage.
For some patients, septoplasty alone is enough. Others may need turbinate reduction, nasal valve repair, or a rhinoplasty if the external structure of the nose also affects breathing. If cosmetic concerns are present, septoplasty can sometimes be combined with rhinoplasty so the inside and outside of your nose are addressed together.
The surgery called septoplasty focuses on the septum itself. If the thin wall between the left and right sides of the nasal cavity is bent, curved, or displaced, septoplasty reshapes it so air can move more freely through the nasal passages.
Rhinoplasty is different because it can address the external appearance of the nose as well as internal breathing structures. When breathing problems and cosmetic concerns overlap, we may discuss a combined approach. That can include straightening the septum, improving nasal support, refining the outer shape of your nose, or correcting changes from a prior injury.
Now, not every patient with a deviated septum needs surgery. It means the plan should be based on your anatomy, your symptoms, and what is actually causing the blockage. The nose is small, but the anatomy is layered. Good treatment starts with identifying the real source of the problem instead of guessing.
Those three at-home checks can be helpful if you’re trying to figure out if you might have a deviated septum. Gently feel inside your nose, take a photo of your nostrils from underneath, and watch what happens when you take a strong breath in. If one side feels tighter, looks smaller, or behaves differently, it may be time to have your nose evaluated.
Just remember: these checks are clues, not conclusions. A deviated septum, enlarged turbinates, nasal valve collapse, allergies, sinus inflammation, and prior injury can all create similar breathing problems. The only way to know what is actually happening is to examine the inside of your nose.
At Eos Rejuvenation, I look at both form and function. If you suspect a deviated septum or you are tired of wondering why one side of your nose feels different from the other, schedule a consultation. We can take a closer look, explain what’s going on, and talk through the treatment options that fit your anatomy.
Follow us on Instagram for more helpful tips, tricks, and facts.
