I'm having difficulty breathing after my rhinoplasty. What should I do?

Question

Hello, I have a concern. I had an ethnic Rhinoplasty and I am 3 months post-op and I am having difficulty breathing out my left nostril. I looked inside my nose and it seemed like my nasal cavity was pinched and it's blocking my airway. I just need help what should I do

Eric M. Joseph, MD · Answer

Some people have nasal congestion after rhinoplasty surgery simply from swelling. And examination would be necessary to determine why you're having nasal obstruction on the left side. If visiting your surgeon is not possible, an ear, nose, and throat specialist would be another good choice. I hope this is helpful! Sincerely, Dr Joseph

Lexie Wang, MD · Answer

What did your surgeon say? At the 3mo point, you are likely still experiencing some degree of swelling that can be impacting your breathing. However, if you say it seems like your nose is pinched, there might be something else going on. I would see what your surgeon has to say since s/he knows what was done during the surgery, but if it seems like your nose is pinched, it is possible that the surgeon was over-aggressive in trying to get you a "narrow tip" and now you have collapse of your valve (I am not saying this is what happened since I don't know, but it is a very common thing we see in the revision rhino world). If that is truly the case, then the only way to address that would be to build this area/valve up again, which I hope is not the case for you! Good luck!

Samuel Lin, MD, FACS · Answer

Function and aesthetic go hand in hand for the nose. It is always important to maintain breathing with rhinoplasty and there are aspects of the procedure that are important to review with your rhinoplasty specialist..

Dean Toriumi, MD · Answer

Hi Kayla1236,
Thanks for your question. This is a really common question that patients come see me for on a regular basis. The most common cause of post-rhinoplasty nasal obstruction is that the nasal airway was not fully addressed during the initial surgery. This can be really frustrating for patients, since many patients never had any breathing problems to begin with. While it is difficult to say what you precisely would need to fix your nasal breathing - I do believe that it is possible to correct your nasal blockage. This would require a revision procedure where your nose is fixed from both an aesthetic (size and shape) and function (nasal breathing) perspective. I specialize in ensuring the best functional and aesthetic nose possible.

I'm having difficulty breathing after my rhinoplasty. What should I do?

Answers (4)

Answer: Postoperative Breathing Following Rhinoplasty

Answer: Postoperative Breathing Following Rhinoplasty

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Everything you need to know about Revision Rhinoplasty

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I'm having difficulty breathing after my rhinoplasty. What should I do?

Answers (4)

Answer: Postoperative Breathing Following Rhinoplasty

Answer: Postoperative Breathing Following Rhinoplasty

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Revision Rhinoplasty

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.