Breathing problems aren’t common after rhinoplasty

If you experience problems breathing through your nose before rhinoplasty surgery, the problem will hopefully be reduced or alleviated after surgery. Problems breathing through the nose are often from a less than ideal interior anatomy. This can be a result of past trauma, nasal medications, allergies, sinus problems, or it can just occur developmentally.

When these problems are identified during an evaluation, they can often be corrected during surgery. Sometimes we may need to straighten a septum that leans too much to one side, or reduce turbinates which take up too much space.

Breathing problems can also occur after surgery if your nose doesn’t receive support once the reshaping has been completed. Lack of support is a common cause and can result in your nose collapsing when you breathe in. This can certainly become a nuisance if it isn’t recognized and corrected during the procedure.

Besides these considerations, patients should realize that swelling inside the nose after surgery can limit airflow and create stuffiness for 2-3 weeks, or until the swelling goes down.

Most experienced rhinoplasty surgeons are aware of all these issues and take the proper steps to prevent them.

For more information, see our rhinoplasty before and after photos.