I've Been Told That Internal Swelling from a Septoplasty Could Last a Few Months. True?

It’s not unusual for patients undergoing septoplasty to have
prolonged swelling. Most patients will note significant swelling for about two
weeks following surgery. After two weeks
patients are comfortable resuming their normal lives and going out in public.
Swelling will persist for at least one year or longer in patients who undergo
this procedure.It takes time for
swelling to completely resolve and for this reason patients need to be patient.

In our office we perform septoplasty alone or as part of rhinoplasty procedures. Septoplasty can cause some discomfort. However, it responds very nicely to pain meds. Usually my patients do not complain about pain when undergoing septoplasty. Sometimes, We use a soft splint which speeds up recovery and promotes healing.
It is very interesting however that some patients are immediately very pleased with the improvement in the breathing even few hours after surgery.
Please note that a number of factors can lead to breathing difficulty through the nose.

Given that the nose and nasal breathing passages are three dimensional structures, a complete examination is needed to determine the diagnosis and the exact reason for breathing difficulty. In our office we used a headlight and other instrument to come up with the exact cause for this issue.  
The following are the 3 main reason for mouth breathing and difficulty breathing through the nose:
1. Septal deviation 2. Turbinate enlargement 3. Nasal Valve collapse 4. Major allergic rhinitis or 5. Any combination of the above.
For patients who are searching for answer regarding above or septoplasty, I would highly recommend visiting a skilled plastic surgeons who specialize in this exacting and artistic procedure. In our office we provide patients with a personalized, individualized and complementary consultation to address these similar issues.
Best wishes and good luck.
Dr. Sajjadian

Swelling after septoplasty can take many months to resolve completely. In some cases, aggressive nasal hygiene with saline sprays, gels, ointments, etc. might be needed to decrease crusting and speed healing. Nasal steroid sprays can also be helpful to decrease any inflammation and swelling inside the nose.
Once these issues are under control and enough time has passed, more aggressive procedure might be needed as nasal valve stenosis or collapse might be the issue more than a persistently deviated septum. Be sure to follow your surgeon's recommendations during the recovery period, and seek a second opinion from a septorhinoplasty specialist like a Facial Plastic Surgeon if the symptoms don't improve in time.
All the best,