How Will I Feel During the First Week After Surgery?
You've consulted with an experienced surgeon and booked a date for your surgery—now you're wondering how you'll feel during the week following your nose job. Board Certified plastic surgeon Dr. Buonassisi always ensures his patients fully understand what to possibly expect directly after rhinoplasty surgery. While the post-op experience varies among patients, most find recovery easier than expected, with many feeling well enough to do light activities as soon as 24 hours after the procedure. While you may experience the symptoms most commonly associated with rhinoplasty to varying degrees (or not at all), it won't hurt to prepare to deal with each one in advance. Dr. Buonassisi's real rhinoplasty patients have helped us gather information on these symptoms from the patient's perspective, while the above video features real patient guest Ashley speaking on her experience during the week after rhinoplasty.
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Before we continue on with the findings, we would like to mention that at 8 West Clinic, we believe at the forefront that educated patients are happy patients, and this is why Dr. Buonassisi has compiled his 20 years experience performing rhinoplasty into a must read eBook. This is an essential tool for anyone considering cosmetic nasal surgery. Download your free copy now.
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The Data
This data was collected through a 1 week post operative survey completed by Dr. Buonassisi's rhinoplasty patients:Stuffiness: A stuffed-up nose is, by far, the most common (and most annoying) symptom of rhinoplasty. About half (53.8%) of Dr. Buonassisi's rhinoplasty patients said they felt “a little” stuffy in the seven days following their nose job. Whether you can't breathe through your nose at all or feel just minor congestion, avoid the urge to blow at all costs as this may cause a nosebleed. The stuffed-up feeling will greatly improve once your cast is taken off a week after surgery—or sooner.Headache:38.5% of rhinoplasty patients surveyed reported feeling some level of headache in the seven days after surgery – of those only a small percentage felt more than a mild ache. If your head begins to hurt after your nose job, be sure to drink lots of water and take your pain medication as prescribed. If you'd rather use an over-the-counter painkiller, choose Tylenol over Advil as the latter, a blood thinner, may cause excess bleeding. It is best to seek the advice of your surgeon if you would like to take medications above and beyond what was prescribed to you.Throbbing/tenderness:About half (46.2%) of patients surveyed reported feeling a little throbbing and/or tenderness in the seven days following surgery. This very normal symptom of rhinoplasty will likely subside within a week. In the meantime, take your pain medication as prescribed or use an over-the-counter painkiller (Tylenol, not Advil - and get the OK first from your surgeon). Try your best to avoid situations/activities where you risk bumping your tender nose. Even a simple task like reaching for an object on a high shelf can have painful consequences – it's best to ask for help or move hard-to-reach items you use on a regular basis to lower ground ahead of your surgery.Burning/tingling:Very few patients (7.7%) felt a burning sensation in the week post rhinoplasty; only 23.1% of those surveyed reported feeling a mild tingling in their nose/face. These uncommon symptoms shouldn't take too long to subside but, if you're overwhelmed by either sensation for an extended period of time, call your surgeon for assistance.Nausea/dizziness:An equal number of rhinoplasty patients (30.8%) felt a little nauseous and/or dizzy after their surgery. Even fewer (7.7%) reported nausea to the point of vomiting. Again, these symptoms should go away fairly quickly and are easily managed by getting enough rest, staying hydrated, eating as much healthy food as your stomach allows and taking your pain medication as prescribed.Itching:If you've ever broken an arm or a leg, you know that having a cast so close to your skin can make you itch. Luckily, with rhinoplasty, this symptom is kept to a minimum due to the small size of the cast that's placed on your nose. Stay strong! Resist the urge to scratch beneath or pick at the cast until it's removed. It's only a week!If you're not sure how to treat any of these symptoms or experience continuous pain for more than one week, call your surgeon for assistance.