Does Recovering from a Rhinoplasty Feel Like Having a Cold?

Immediately after the rhinoplasty procedure you will experience stuffiness of the nose. Yes, patients often compare  this  to having a bad cold. It is hard to breath through you nose due to swelling and clotting. Usually, patients have to breathe through the mouth for a while, which is something we are not used to on every day basis.  Please make sure to drink a lot of fluids to keep your mouth nice and moist.  After the surgery you will wake up with a splint on your nose. It will be removed after a week. You will notice  big difference after the splint gets removed. I do not pack nose inside (like most surgeons) AND THIS IS A GREAT HELP

Dear Jlbunny,

 

After the surgery, you will have swelling and felling of heaviness in the middle of your face as well as congestion.

 

With pain killers on board and good post-op ambulation, you will be feeling similar symptoms as a mild cold's.

 

I encourage you to follow your surgeon's advises, do's and don'ts.

 

Best of luck to you.

Dr. Sajjadian

Hi there,

Recovery from a rhinoplasty is pretty much like having a cold!  The good news is that usually, that's about as bad as it gets.  Bad news is that if you hate the feeling you get with a cold, you're not going to love the first post op week.

 

Good luck!

For 24hrs you will have cotton packing in each nostril and you will have to breath through your mouth. You will also have a cast which will then be removed 3-4 days after your procedure.

The analogy is an apt one. For the first week or so, you will have bad congestion similar to a bad cold. Discuss your concern with your surgeon as there may be steps he/she can take to relieve partially this congestion.

Recovery from rhinoplasty can be moderately uncomfortable. Many patients complain of "stuffiness" or congestion and a full feeling in their face.  Many of my patients only use tylenol for pain control.

Although most people do not have much pain after a rhinoplasty, almost everyone is fairly stuffy.It is not uncommon to be unable to breath at all through your nose for most of the first week following your surgery. The good news is that while I have many patients who are very concerned about this congestion at their preoperative visit (many ask if I will prescribe some Valium for them if they need it afterwards), almost no one seems too bothered by it afterwards. You get used to it pretty quickly, and it seems that if you know when it will go away (a week at the outside), it is not as bothersome as the uncertain congestion from a cold. The key is staying focused on the prize at the end (a great looking nose) and not on the annoyance of the journey. Best of luck.

The outside of the nose will swell after rhinoplasty and so will the inside and nasal congestion is the rule for several weeks. If this is what  a cold feels like to you, then better prepare.

You should expect your nose to be somewhat congested and runny for the first week following rhinoplasty.  Things should improve thereafter.  Of course, you will not have the cough, sore throat and body aches that truly make a cold such a miserable experience!  Good luck.

Recovery from Rhinoplasty surgery is similar to having a cold. You will have congestion and feel heaviness and pressure in the mid face area. Rhinoplasty recovery is very easily tolerated by most patients and any discomfort is handled with mild pain relievers and proper post operative care. In your preoperative and consulting phase we spend at least an hour and go through all of your post operative instructions to ensure a quick and comfortable recovery. Best regards!