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Open Nose Surgery
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Question: I just had my deviated septum fixed along with my enlarged turbinates
reduced.
Now I can not breath through my nose at all and it is driving me nuts.
I do not wish to use the Afrin. Does anyone have suggestions on how I
can open my airway? I don't have the packing so I can get alittle air.
Sleeping seems to be the toughest. I have sleep apnea also, but can't
use my BiPap.
Just want to breath
Answer: After my surgery the doctor told me to use Afrin for a couple nights. Why
not call him. It takes three days to become addicted and get rebounds.
If there was ever a time NOT to use Afrin, I'd guess this is it. You
might be peeling yourself off the ceiling, among other things. I had
more drastic surgery than you, but just the thought of squirting Afrin
up my abused nostrils at that time makes me shudder.
Didn't your doctor give you any instructions about this? Mine told me
to irrigate the nose very frequently with warm salt water and gave me
a little handout about it. I made my own from a teaspoon of kosher
(non-iodinized) salt in about a US pint or so of tap water. I used a
Grossans Sinus Irrigator tip on an ordinary WaterPik and gently
cleansed my nose with it, several times a day. Gently! You could also
use saline solution in a squeeze bottle from the drugstore, salt water
in a baby ear syringe, or a "nettie pot." Stand over the sink! Don't
try to blast stuff out. Don't blow hard.
The salt water cleans the gunk out of your nose, helps to stimulate
the cilia in the nostrils, and the salt starts a reverse osmosis
process that helps reduce the swelling inside your nose.
Finally, you are going to have to be patient about this. It takes a
little time for this to heal (not a long time, however). Others have
survived worse, believe me. It will be over soon and you will probably
breathe better than you ever have before. You want to remain calm and
wait it out, keeping your fingers and all sharp tools out of your nose
and avoiding lye, dynamite and other harsh self-treatments.
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