VOICE RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE IN INDIVIDUALS WITH DEVIATED NASAL SEPTUM

Deviated nasal septum (DNS) is a common disorder which alters the nasal cavity anatomically and physiologically and results in nasal obstruction for breathing, nasal blockage, allergies, allergic rhinitis, and dryness of throat, thus influencing the person's quality of life. Literature indicates that acoustic and resonatory characteristics of voice are negatively influenced in individuals with DNS due to the compensation by laryngeal system to the blockage in the resonatory chamber. In this context, the present study was aimed to investigate the voice related quality of life in individuals with deviated nasal septum. Forty individuals with severely deviated nasal septum confirmed by an Otorhinolaryngologist through anterior rhinoscopy, computerized tomography and twenty five age and gender matched controls filled the Kannada version of Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI) questionnaire. Results indicated significant impact of deviated nasal septum on voice related quality of life in 55% of the participants with DNS. Results of Mann-Whitney U test indicated significant effect of DNS on VHI scores in individuals with DNS compared to controls (p<0.001). With respect to response to the individual questions under VHI, although response was negative to most of the questions, two questions that received highest score belong to physical domain of VHI and are related to breathing difficulty and variations in voice throughout the day, indicating that they have more difficulty due to nasal blockage to airflow per se than their day-to-day functionality or communication.