Deviated Nasal Septum

Learned a new phrase today- "deviated nasal septum". It's the bone that supports the nose angled to one side instead of being in the centre. Then there are these shapes around the air passage called "turbinates" that can swell as an allergic reaction against things like, well, dryness and dust mites from one's bedsheets. Now when the deviation is toward, say, the right, and the turbinate on the right side happened to be swollen as well, then you get a blocked air passage.

The thing is, air-conditioned air can be too dry for the nose, and changes in humid air and dry air can cause one to sneeze. And dust mite will confound the problem. One way to moisturise the air is to have a humidifier in the room, or else hang a wet towel in the air-con space. And it seems that we should wash our bed-sheets once a week, and we should put it in hot water for 10-15 minutes first before washing them in the machine, cause the hot water in the washing machine is not hot enough to kill the damn mites. The good news is that swollen turbinates are reversible; with anti-histamine pills, nasal spray, wetter air and cleaner sheets. But deviated nasal septum, like scoliosis, is more or less nature's gift. We learn to live with it, and be very thankful that a blocked passage is not an indication of something much more serious. Breathe easy now...

Chup