Could a Deviated Septum be Causing Weight Gain?

Post Date: 12/15/2021

Could a Deviated Septum be Causing Weight Gain?

Did you know that long-standing nasal congestion can prevent you from losing weight? We may not feel the need to investigate the underlying causes of the condition since most of us think that nasal congestion is temporary. However, some details may indicate that nasal congestion is caused by serious reasons. Although most people do not know, excess weight that does not respond to diet and exercise is one of these details. So how does this happen?

Does the Way we Breathe Affect our Weight?

This may surprise you, but yes! A stuffy nose causes you to sleep with your mouth open at night and therefore snore. This means that you are not breathing the oxygen your body needs healthily. We all know that oxygen is vital for all living things. Well, did you know that oxygen also plays a very important role in burning excess fat in our body? This is why, as oxygen respiration decreases, fat-burning also decreases.

Another consequence of the body not getting the oxygen it needs is the increase in the secretion of cortisone, which is the stress hormone. The stress hormone allows the body to store more fat. Thus, while losing weight becomes more difficult, the body becomes more suitable for weight gain.

What Causes Nasal Congestion?

Nasal congestion is caused by three main reasons:

• A deviated septum,
• Concha hypertrophy,
• Allergic rhinitis.

Allergic rhinitis is mostly treated with medication, and concha hypertrophy is commonly treated with radiofrequency therapy nowadays. Septum deviation requires surgical intervention. Correction of septum deviation is called septoplasty (septorhinoplasty) or functional rhinoplasty. The difference of this procedure from classical rhinoplasty (nose aesthetic surgery), as the name suggests, is that it is performed to correct the functional functions of the nose rather than for aesthetic purposes. Therefore, rhinoplasty can be categorized as an arbitrary operation; whereas septoplasty is an operation performed on demand.

On the other hand, it should not be ignored that aesthetic and functional features complement each other. In some cases, septum deviation may not seriously affect the external appearance of the nose. However, if there are deformities in the external structure of the nose, septorhinoplasty procedure will be combined with rhinoplasty and it will be much more satisfactory for the patient to solve both aesthetic and functional problems with a single operation.

If you are also complaining about nasal congestion, you should not neglect to be examined by your doctor as soon as possible and to get the necessary treatment as soon as possible. Remember that the surgeon operating determines the success of the operation. A septorhinoplasty procedure performed by a surgeon who is an expert, experienced, and has strong communication with his patients will have a much higher chance of success and a lower risk of complications.

If you consider having rhinoplasty surgery, contact us right away to get a free consultancy service from Prof. Dr. Selçuk İnanlı.