How long does it take to recover from septoplasty/nasal valve collapse surgery? (photos)

Question

Hi I recently had a septoplasty/nasal valve collapse surgery done on Monday July 18th. It is now Thursday July 21st and I am in the worst pain yet. I was wondering if anyone could give me an outlook as to how long I will be feeling this way. The splints are causing a lot of discomfort. It was also done as an open rhinoplasty so the incisions are painful as well. I have a pretty high pain tolerance so I am surprised it has been as painful as it has been for me. Thank you

Sam Rizk, MD · Answer

Generally a septoplasty takes about a week to fully recover. Most 
swelling is internal and is not noticeable to other people. If your 
facial plastic surgeon used nasal grafts in during the valve repair, 
then there will be more external swelling. This generally subsides 
within 7-10 days and the patient will be socially presentable. I 
recommend discussing with your board certified facial plastic surgeon 
about more helpful tips to recover faster

Michael Yerukhim, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question, and I'm sorry you're having a tough recovery.The pain amount varies greatly from patient to patient - some people barely need a Tylenol, others are crawling up the walls. So soon after surgery, pain is certainly expected, and it does tend to get worse around day 2. That said, a lot of rhinoplasty is difficult to predict and rare patients may have persistent areas of tenderness around their nose lasting for months, but usually the majority of discomfort resolves within the first couple of weeks.Furthermore, you should certainly mention this to your surgeon, so they can discuss things with you and determine if in person examination is necessary sooner than planned, as very rarely worsening pain may be an early sign of developing complication.Good Luck!

How long does it take to recover from septoplasty/nasal valve collapse surgery? (photos)

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