How much does Rhinoplasty hurt?

Rhinoplasty is not a particularly painful operation. On a scale of 1 (no pain) to 10 (the most painful) I would put it at a 3-4. It's more like a bad stuffy nose with a sinus headache. Long acting numbing medicine is put in at surgery so you don't wake up in horrible pain. swelling and bruising can be very different from patient to patient but in general it is mild to moderate. Plan on staying home for a week and icing down. That really helps. Also your surgeon will probably prescribe strong Ibuprofen and a light narcotic if needed. 

I would go on consultations to help get your questions addressed. I
would search for the board certified plastic surgeon who you feel is
most likely to give you the best results and who performs hundreds of
these procedures each year. I would look at patient reviews as well as
before and after photos on that surgeon's website.Kenneth Hughes, MDLos Angeles, CA

In our practice, rhinoplasty is not  painful because we do not put any packing inside the nose. Packing is painful and is no longer used. Most patients take a few medium strength Vicodin pain pills the first  Night or two to help them get some sleep.

Pain is relative and for that reason it is hard to quantify it individually. However, I tell my patients that a rhinoplasty is not so much a painful procedure but more annoying. The reason for this is that your breathing is not optimal for the first week and you develop somewhat of a dry mouth. You will have pain medications given to you for the postoperative period for any discomfort. Hope this helps.