Your Recovery
You will have a drip pad under your nose to collect mucus and blood. Change it only when it bleeds through. You may have to do this every hour for 24 hours after surgery.
You may have some swelling of your nose, upper lip, cheeks, or around your eyes. Your nose may be sore and will bleed. You may feel "stuffed up" like you have a bad head cold. This will last for several days after surgery.
The tip of your nose and your upper lip and gums may be numb. Feeling will return in a few weeks to a few months. Your sense of smell will not be as good after surgery. It will improve and probably return to normal in 1 to 2 months.
You will probably be able to return to work or school in about 1 week and to your normal routine in about 3 weeks. However, this varies with your job and the extent of your surgery. Most people feel normal in 1 to 2 months.
You will have to visit your doctor regularly for 3 to 4 months after your surgery. Your doctor will check to see that your sinuses are healing well.
This care sheet gives you a general idea about how long it will take for you to recover. But each person recovers at a different pace. Follow the steps below to get better as quickly as possible.
Follow-up care is a key part of your treatment and safety. Be sure to make and go to all appointments, and call your doctor or nurse call line if you are having problems. It's also a good idea to know your test results and keep a list of the medicines you take.
Where can you learn more?
Go to https://www.healthwise.net/patientEd
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