an introduction
This article aims to give patients an idea of what to expect and answer questions that may arise after nasal surgery.
Post-operative swelling
The swelling is normal after each operation, however minor, where the procedure is accompanied by swelling in the surrounding tissues, and the amount and nature of swelling vary from person to another, and may be larger tumor if the operation was done to the sides of the nose both at inside and outside of the nose, and on patients undergoing surgery to improve the respiratory function of the nose, work to calm the swelling more quickly, doctors often recommend the following steps:
How to calm swelling
- Keep the head straight or as high as possible after surgery.
- Sleep with head lift for at least two weeks after surgery.
- Put two pillows under the head when lying down.
- Avoid bending or lifting heavy objects for two weeks. Doing so may aggravate swelling, which can increase blood pressure and increase the chance of bleeding.
- Avoid hitting or shaking the nose.
- Avoid excessive sun exposure on the face for four months to reduce the risk of hyperpigmentation, however, the normal exposure is not harmful as long as the sunscreen is placed with 30 SPF worn every day, during the summer, the sunscreen must be reapplied to the nose each two hours so as not to burn.
- For hair drying, it is best to avoid hair dryer and being used to comb the hair with one hand only.
- You should avoid sitting under the general hair dryer commonly used in hair salons, which should be avoided for at least two weeks.
- Avoid bumping your nose when dressing, especially when it’s not wet.
- If the strip becomes moist on the nose, or if the bandage becomes loose, the doctor should be notified immediately.
- In the first week after surgery, inhalation does not relieve the feeling of obstruction, but will exacerbate the feeling of obstruction, because the patient will avoid trying to “breathe” (try to force the air through the nose, as some people do when they feel their noses closed). Suction that is created at home will cause more swelling, and patients should not do it for two weeks after surgery or as scheduled according to the doctor’s instructions.