Best Deviated Septum Doctor in Dubai – Dr. Muhammad Jabbr

Does one side of your nose always feel tighter than the other? Do you breathe through your mouth at night? A bent wall inside the nose is a common reason. If you are looking for a deviated septum doctor in Dubai, this guide explains what the problem is, how it is checked and what can ease it.

This guide comes from the clinic of Dr. Muhammad Jabbr, Consultant ENT (Ear, Nose & Throat) and Head & Neck Surgeon at Medcare Hospital, Al Safa, Dubai. He treats adults and children, and when a bent septum spoils your breathing or sleep, he is one of the best doctors in Dubai to start with.

The good news: a deviated septum is common, it is not dangerous in itself, and many people feel better without an operation.

What is a deviated septum?

The septum is the thin partition down the middle of your nose. Its front part is firm, bendy cartilage and its back part is thin bone.

Very few septums are perfectly straight, and most adults with a small bend never notice it. A bend only becomes a problem when it is large enough to narrow one or both passages.

It may be a gentle C-shaped curve, an S-shape that narrows both sides, or a sharp ridge called a spur. A bend near the nostril often blocks more than one further back, because the front of the nose is already its narrowest part.

What causes the septum to bend?

There are two main causes, and sometimes both play a part.

• You were born with it, or it grew that way. Pressure on the face during birth may bend the septum slightly. It can also grow unevenly as the face develops in childhood and the teenage years.
• An injury to the nose. A knock during sport, a fall, a road accident or a blow to the face can bend or break the septum, sometimes years before symptoms start.

In adults, the bend itself rarely changes. But a cold or an allergy can swell the lining, and with age the nose tip can lose some support. So a bend you never noticed may start to bother you later.

What symptoms can a deviated septum cause?

Many people have no symptoms at all. When symptoms do appear, they may include:

• Blockage on one side. One nostril feels stuffy most of the time, even without a cold.
• Snoring and mouth breathing. A narrow passage can make you breathe through your mouth at night, so you snore and wake with a dry mouth.
• Nosebleeds. Air flowing over the bent part dries the lining, so it may crack and bleed, often on the same side.
• Sinus problems. In some people, a large bend narrows the paths that drain the sinuses. This may add to repeated sinus infections or facial pressure.
• Crusting and dryness on one side, especially in air-conditioned rooms.

Children with a bent septum may also snore or breathe through the mouth. In a child, though, large adenoids are a more common cause.

Could something else be blocking your nose?

A blocked nose often has more than one cause. Allergy, enlarged turbinates (the soft shelves inside each side of the nose), nasal polyps and, in children, large adenoids can all feel like a bent septum. Our blocked nose treatment page covers the wider list. If sneezing, itching and a runny nose come with the blockage, our allergic rhinitis page explains that side.

How does a deviated septum doctor in Dubai check your nose?

The check is short and easy for most people. You will be asked when the blockage started, which nostril it affects, and about past injuries, nosebleeds, sleep and sprays you have tried.

A light shows the front of the septum. A thin camera, used after a numbing spray, shows the rest of the passage. Our nasal endoscopy page explains this quick clinic test. The doctor is looking for answers to a few questions:

• Where is the bend? A bend near the nostril usually matters more than one far back.
• Is there a spur? A sharp spur may press on the side wall or keep causing bleeds.
• How much is just swelling? A decongestant spray shrinks the lining for a short time. If breathing then improves a lot, swelling is a big part of the problem.
• Is anything else there? Polyps, large turbinates or signs of sinus infection change the plan.

A CT scan is not needed just to see a bent septum. It may be advised if sinus disease is suspected, or before an operation that includes the sinuses.

Which sprays help with a bent septum?

No spray can change the shape of the septum. But sprays can calm the swollen lining on top of it, which is often enough for a mild bend. Options include:

• Salt-water (saline) sprays or rinses. These wash out mucus and crusts and keep the lining moist. They are safe for daily use.
• Steroid nose sprays. These reduce swelling but take several days to work, so use them daily. Aim the nozzle slightly away from the middle wall, towards the outer corner of the eye. This also lowers the risk of nosebleeds.
• Antihistamines, if allergy plays a part.
• Decongestant sprays, for a few days only. Longer use causes rebound swelling, so the nose blocks again as the spray wears off.
• Home steps. A bedroom humidifier can ease dryness and crusting. Nasal strips open the nostrils slightly, but they cannot reach a bend further back.

Give the plan a fair trial of several weeks. Sprays often fail only because of poor technique, so ask your doctor to check yours.

When is an operation worth it?

Surgery is a choice, not a must. It is worth discussing when:

• Blockage spoils your sleep, exercise or daily comfort on most days.
• A fair trial of sprays, used the right way, has not helped enough.
• The exam shows the bend, not swollen lining, is doing most of the blocking.
• It keeps causing nosebleeds or adds to repeated sinus trouble.

The operation is called septoplasty. It is done through the nostrils and does not usually change the outside shape of the nose. Read who it suits on our septoplasty for deviated septum page. Our septoplasty surgeon page covers the operation and recovery.

When should you see a doctor quickly?

Most septum problems can wait for a routine visit. Get checked quickly if you notice:

• New blockage on one side only, with blood-stained or bad-smelling discharge, especially in an adult.
• A painful, swollen nose after an injury, with both sides fully blocked. A blood collection on the septum needs treatment the same day.
• A nose that looks crooked after an injury. Broken nose bones are easier to set within the first one to two weeks. See our nasal fracture page.
• Fever with redness or swelling around the eye.
• A heavy nosebleed still going after 20 minutes of pinching the soft part of the nose. Go to the emergency department.

Meet the doctor who will check your septum

Dr. Jabbr holds MD, MS, DOHNS (England), the European Board ORL-HNS and the Arab Board ORL-HNS. His experience spans more than 20 years and more than 3,000 ENT procedures.

At a septum visit, he looks at the whole nose, not only the bend, and starts with the simplest care likely to help. His patients have given him a 4.9 Google rating from 406 reviews.

Book a septum check

Tired of one blocked nostril, loud snoring or nosebleeds from the same side? A short clinic visit can show why. Reserve your appointment online with Dr. Muhammad Jabbr, or phone +971 52 751 7811. His clinic is in the ENT Department of Medcare Hospital, Hadiqa Street, Al Safa 1, Dubai.

Frequently Asked Questions

A bent septum is common, and help is simple to start

A deviated septum is a shape problem, not a disease. If yours affects your breathing, sleep or sinuses, a short clinic check shows what is going on. Sprays may be enough, and surgery stays an option for later. Dr. Muhammad Jabbr is happy to talk you through every choice.