Many patients have been extremely satisfied with the way that rhinoplasty, or a nose job, has improved their appearance. However, there are others who have avoided this procedure because of concerns about pain or other complications during the healing process. Here are a few tips that can help you avoid pain and swelling during rhinoplasty recovery.
Avoid Exercise and Strenuous Activity
Swelling is one of the symptoms of rhinoplasty recovery that take the longest amount of time to disappear. Unfortunately, swelling can be exacerbated by an increase in heart rate and blood pressure. Higher blood pressure around the nose will also lead to increased pain during recovery.
Avoiding activities that increase your heart rate is one of the best ways to avoid swelling and pain. Activities to limit include running, weight lifting, sports, and even lifting heavy objects around the house. Once you see that swelling has visibly gone down, often after a period of one to two months, you can start to return to your normal physical activity levels.
Protect Nose and Face From Impacts
Your doctor will provide pain medication to cope with the everyday pain of your recovery, but physical force to the nose and face can cause unpleasant jolts of pain. Even the weight of a pair of glasses can be enough to cause significant discomfort, so you should attempt to keep objects from touching your nose and face at all times.
One of the most common pains during recovery that you may not expect is a sudden jolt of pain while you are sleeping. If you roll over on your stomach in your sleep, it is likely that you will place enough pressure on your face to cause pain. It is recommended that you sleep on your back and use more pillows so that your head is resting higher and you are discouraged to toss and turn in your sleep.
Patients who are recovering from rhinoplasty may also wish to sleep separately from their partners for a few weeks immediately following their surgery. This will reduce the chance that an accidental brush with an arm or shoulder will cause you to wake with pain.
Recovery from rhinoplasty is not difficult if you know how to avoid common causes of increased pain and swelling. By using these tips and taking any pain medication or antibiotics that your doctor prescribes, you can make your recovery as quick and painless as possible. If you have any questions about the rhinoplasty procedure or recovery, contact a local cosmetic surgeon, such as William M. Parell, MD, PSC.
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