Nose Pain After Rhinoplasty

NOSE PAIN AFTER RHINOPLASTY: A GUIDE
By Beverly hills Rhinoplasty surgeon Dr. Kotler

Nose pain after rhinoplasty is typical for a patient having undergone rhinoplasty. Each person has a unique threshold for pain. In rhinoplasty, severe pain is extremely unlikely because this operation does not involve cutting through major muscles, as must be done to enter the chest or abdomen, for example. The rhinoplasty is an operation that is conducted on superficial structures, the nasal bones and cartilage.

Managing Nose Pain After Rhinoplasty

Managing nose pain after rhinoplasty can be a simple process for most. For moderate to severe pain, we do provide prescription pain medicine. The decision as to which pain medicine to provide is based on the patient’s history of having had other surgeries which required painmedicine and whether or not the medication prescribed to you was satisfactory. That is why quality history is very important. Your surgeon will need to know what your personal pain history is like and what medications were effective. If a certain medication was effective and without side effects, that medication will likely be used again.

Mild pain is usually treated with Extra Strength Tylenol. Advil, ibuprofen, or other NSAIDs are not routinely recommended because they are not “pain relievers” but reduce inflammation instead. However, not wanting to bank on a mild pain reliever being satisfactory, we also call in a prescription for a stronger pain medicine, such as Tylenol with Codeine, Another feature of wise pain management is to provide a very mild tranquilizer to be taken at the same time as the pain medicine. The tranquilizer is helpful to allow the patient to relax and become less stressed. The tranquilizer will also strengthen the effect of the pain medicine.

How Your Surgeon Will Minimize Nose Pain AfterRhinoplasty With Medication

Some patients take medications for various medical conditions that can actually interfere with the effect of a pain medicine after rhinoplasty. Another reason why we carefully scrutinize your health history and always ask what medication(s), including non-prescription supplements, are so that your surgeon will know which medications might interact or negate the effect of the pain medicine and would therefore prescribe accordingly.

The most important test of how a pain medication is doing after rhinoplasty is to have the patient report back to our practice. Dr. Kotler, our surgeon, will personally call you between 8 and 9 PM the evening of your surgery to follow up. If the pain is non-manageable by the prescription provided, Dr. Kotler, your surgeon, will substitute a different pain your pain medication. Starting with the day you schedule your surgery, you will be provided with Dr. Kotler’s contact phone number, available at all times. No question is a silly one, so please call him for any questions you may have.

When Should I Call My Surgeon After Experiencing Post-Rhinoplasty Pain?

After any surgery, there is another key reason to contact Dr. Kotler directly: pain automatically raises blood pressure. Elevated blood pressure is not to be tolerated lest it cause bleeding and increased swelling and bruising. If you’re experiencing these symptoms, it is best to follow up with Dr. Kotler your surgeon immediately.