Disorders of the nose may be functional, causing airway obstruction, or cosmetic. Although there are many reasons a patient may have trouble breathing through their nose, common causes include nasal deviation, septal deviation, and enlargement of the inferior turbinate. These may be treated by straightening the nose or septum, or reducing the size of the inferior turbinate.
Cosmetic concerns of the nose include but are not limited to dorsal hump (bump on the bridge of the nose), size or shape of the nasal tip, position of the nasal tip (such as drooping), and size or shape of the nostrils. Deviation of the nose may be a cosmetic as well as a functional problem. These concerns can be addressed with a rhinoplasty, or nose surgery.