Why does my nose feel stuffed after nasal irrigation with saline use multiple times daily? I'm 2 months post op septorhinoplasty

I have found that steroid nasal sprays for a few weeks after rhinoplasty assist dramatically in maintaining a good airway. In the very short term it can be combined with a nasal spray such as Afrin particularly at night.

The most common reason that the nose is stuffy after saline irrigation is the temperature of the water. Your body temperature is approximately 98.6 F. The nose runs a few degrees cooler. Room temperature water is significantly cooler than that. When the nose is exposed to cooler temperature, the blood flow increases and the turbinates (air flow regulators in the nose) swell, causing the stuffy sensation. This is the opposite of other parts of your body. Using warmer (but not hot) water may help the turbinates shrink down.

I would recommend visiting back with your surgeon. You will need someone to look inside your nose to determine the issue. I would continue the salt water rinses until you are able to make the appointment. Best of luck

Dear aesthetics93,

Thank you for your clinical
post. A rhinoplasty or the alteration of
the external appearance of the nose by manipulation of the nasal bones,
cartilages or both often leads to a very nice aesthetic improvement in the
appearance of the nose. However, there
are other structures such as the upper and lower lateral cartilages which if weakened
can lead to collapse of the internal and external nasal valve which can also
contribute to breathing obstruction. It
is not uncommon to have asymmetrical breathing changes following rhinoplasty
surgery even reversal of near a complete one side obstruction to the other.

It is critically important you visit
back with your operative rhinoplasty surgeon who looks inside your nose,
analyzes the anatomy and then correlates it to the external appearance of
possible treatment.

It is still very early following your
surgery and often between 6 and 12 months a lot of the complaints and sensations
you feel now will go away. Carefully
follow-up with your operative plastic surgeon or facial plastic surgeon and
endonasal examination is recommended.

I hope this information is of some
assistance and best of luck.

R. Stephen Mulholland, M.D.

Certified Plastic Surgeon

Yorkville, Toronto