The nasal septum is the wall inside the nose that separates the left side from the right side. It is composed of cartilage and bone sandwiched between a mucosal lining on both sides. Septums can become bent (or “deviated”) naturally in development (overcrowding) or from trauma. Trauma can range from hitting the nose against a crib as a baby to getting hit in the nose by a soccer ball as a teen, or hitting the nose on the floor in a fall as a senior. A deviated septum can cause nasal obstruction/blockage, which can lead to excess mucus, post-nasal drip, sinusitis, nosebleeds, snoring, mouth-breathing and poor sleep (sleep apnea).