6 days post rhino, when can I start sleeping normally?

Dear  CroCan,Thank you for your question. Now that your are nearly a week out from your Rhinoplasty procedure, you can begin sleeping at a lower elevation and start sleeping on your side. Just be careful not to accidentally bump your nose. Before you do this, I would suggest discussing with your Surgeon, just to be safe.Please let us know if you have any other questions or concerns!Sincerely,Dr. P Daniel Ward

I would ask your surgeon what their recommendations are. Generally it is recommended to keep the head elevated higher than the heart for 2 weeks after surgery to help the swelling go down. Sometimes doing it for longer may help if the nose is really swollen.

Dear CroCan,every plastic surgeon has his own postoperative protocol which he recommends to his patients. I would suggest you to discuss this with your plastic surgeon.Daniel Barrett, MD, MHA, MS 
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery  
Member, Am. Society of Plastic Surgery

In my patients, I ask them to sleep in a lazyboy recliner or semi-upright with extra pillows on the bed for the first week. After the splints are removed (inside and outside), I begin to let them sleep more horizontally but with the external splint taped back on at night for protection. However, you need to check with your surgeon about his/her specific recommendations.

Patients are encouraged to elevate and sleep on their backs after rhinoplasty. This helps drain swelling from the nose and prevent asymmetries. As only your surgeon knows what type of rhinoplasty you had, I would strongly encourage your surgeon to guide your advice in your healing.  For my average patient, they no longer need to sleep so upright after one week. Best of luck!

The answer to this question and any other related to your rhinoplasty should be sought from your own surgeon as he/she performed your procedure and is responsible for your care. In addition, each rhinoplasty is different so there may be variable periods of time that caution need to be taken.Steven Turkeltaub, MD

Dear Crocan, I would suggest that you make a list of these questions you have posted to realself and speak with your personal surgeon regarding them. Every surgeon has a different protocol and this changes depending on the procedure and techniques which are used. I personally prefer my patients to sleep elevated for a few weeks after surgery however if a patient is experiencing discomfort from this then I may alter their post operative instructions. Best regards, Michael V. Elam, M.D.