So, your doctor or ENT specialist has referred you for sinus surgery: congratulations! This major step will be life-changing, helping you breathe more easily and providing relief from uncomfortable or painful sinus and nasal symptoms. As with any surgery, recovery after the operation requires patience, self-care and carefulness to ensure healing goes well.
How Long Will Recovery Take?
Most surgeries on the nose and sinuses are mild and minimally invasive, and as a result, recovery from sinus surgery is usually pretty smooth and straightforward. Recovery takes a few weeks to be considered complete; however, symptoms will peak in the first few days and then begin to ease. Major swelling should subside in seven to ten days.
What to Expect
As your sinuses recover, you may notice some cold-like symptoms: congestion, mucus discharge, discomfort or pressure around the nose and face, headaches and decreased sense of smell. You’ll probably notice other symptoms as well, such as swelling of the nose and lips, numbness in the area and a low-grade fever in the first few days (this is normal).
There is a high likelihood that your mucus discharge will have some blood in it, or you may experience mild nosebleeds. Some bloody discharge or nosebleeds are expected. After a few days, the color will change from bright red to maroon or brown, and then lighten to pink and finally clear. This change in color means that you are flushing out old blood; it does not mean that you have an infection.
Nasal Care at Home
Do not blow your nose for the first two weeks after surgery. We know it’s tempting, but it can interfere with healing. Instead, clear mucus with nasal sprays and rinses at least twice a day. Saline irrigation can clear accumulated mucus, reduce inflammation, prevent crusting, keep nasal tissues hydrated and help prevent infection, helping significantly with your recovery. Regular use of nasal steroid sprays increases patient satisfaction after surgery.
For the nosebleeds, you’ll have a nasal drip pad, which you’ll change as needed when it bleeds through. You may have to do this every hour or so for the first 24 hours. If profuse bleeding continues after that timeframe, or if you’re soaking through the drip pad faster than every fifteen minutes, follow up with your doctor.
Do not suppress the need to cough or sneeze, but try to cough or sneeze with your mouth open to lessen the pressure change within the sinuses.
Medications
Many patients find that using mild pain relievers, such as Tylenol, is enough to manage the pain and discomfort. Ask your doctor about ibuprofen; in some cases, it helps reduce inflammation, but in others, it may increase bleeding. If you’ve been prescribed an antibiotic, take it as directed.
Other Dos and Don’ts
- Do prioritize rest.
- Do sleep on your back with your head elevated for at least three nights.
- Do use an ice pack or cold pack on your nose to help with swelling and pain.
- Do stick to your regular diet; no dietary changes are necessary. However, if you find that your mouth and throat are feeling sore or you’re experiencing nausea, try soft or bland foods.
- Do shower or bathe as normal, but do not take a scalding, steaming hot shower; excessive heat can raise your heart rate and increase inflammation.
- Do use a humidifier to ease congestion and keep nasal passages hydrated.
- Do wear your glasses.
- Do not wear contacts until the day after surgery.
- Do not blow your nose. (Yes, this is important enough to say twice!)
- Do not engage in strenuous or vigorous activity, as this can increase blood flow and cause you to breathe heavily, which can cause or exacerbate bleeding. You should not lift anything heavier than a gallon of milk. You can ease back into these activities after two to three weeks, or at your surgeon’s discretion.
- Do not breathe in irritants like sawdust, dust, secondhand smoke or other irritating air particles if it can be avoided.
- Do not drink alcohol, as it can thin the blood and cause bleeding.
Have a Smooth Recovery
We at Lakelands ENT are looking forward to helping you have a successful surgery and recovery. Never hesitate to call us if you have any questions during the recovery period, and be sure to attend all your post-op checkups so we can monitor your progress and offer guidance to help make recovery as smooth as possible. We are here every step of the way. Together, let’s get you the easy breathing that you deserve.
