How You Will Feel
Most people will feel congested and develop crusting of mucous and blood in their nose for the first few weeks after sinus surgery. You may also have a sense of pressure in your face as you are healing. You will have some discomfort, but rarely is there a lot of pain. Most people only take a few of their pain pills. You may also feel nausea related to anesthesia or swallowed blood from your surgery. This will improve over the first couple of days after surgery. 

Activity Level
You should not plan to travel for at least one week following surgery. You should not do any bending, lifting or straining for at least one week after surgery as these activities can cause bleeding from your nose. You should not plan to participate in any rigorous activity until permitted. DO NOT BLOW YOUR NOSE UNTIL YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN PERMISSION TO DO SO (usually one week after surgery). However, you may sniff gently through your nose. Do not suppress the need to cough or sneeze, but do so with your mouth open. 

Diet
You can resume your normal diet as soon as you feel you are ready. If you are feeling nauseous, limit your intake to fluids until you feel you can resume solid food. 

Bleeding
You can expect some bleeding from your nose for several days following surgery and then again after each office cleaning. When bleeding occurs down the front of your nose or down the back of your throat, you should tilt your head back while sitting upright and breath gently through your nose. Do not snort the blood in through your nose or blow your nose, as this will promote more bleeding. We suggest holding pressure for 7-10 minutes by squeezing the lower, softer part of your nose with two fingers. This will stop most bleeding. If bleeding persists for an extended period of time, please notify this office. Rarely, would you need to return to the operating room to control any bleeding. 

Cleaning
You will tend to build up crusting and thick mucous after surgery until you are finished healing. Following surgery, we will clean some of that debris out in the office. Beginning about 5 days after surgery, you should begin using saline spray (Saltaire) to begin cleaning your nose. Work up to using it every hour or two while you are awake. Use 2 sprays in each nostril and gently blow your nose. Do not blow too hard as this can lead to bleeding or other problems. The saline spray will also help keep your nose moist and allow it to heal faster. 

Medications
Most people will be given an antibiotic and pain medication. Take them as directed. Extra-strength Tylenol can be very effective instead of the narcotic pain medication. Do not use aspirin or aspirin-like products such as Motrin until permitted, usually 1-2 weeks after surgery. 

You will need to continue your antibiotics as instructed, usually for just a few days to a week. Diarrhea from antibiotic usage can occur and can lead to a serious health problem. If diarrhea should occur, you should discontinue the use of the antibiotic. If the diarrhea is severe or persistent, you should contact this office. Eating yogurt every day or every other day can decrease the risk of diarrhea. 

Use nasal saline spray (Saltaire) as directed above. 

Complications
Monitor your temperature for elevations above 101° - 102°; look for clear watery nasal drainage; note any change in your vision problems, swelling or black and blue in your eyes; note any worsening headache or neck stiffness. Report any of these findings to this office as soon as possible.
Please write down any questions that may arise, so that we may answer them at your next visit. If you have any problems or questions during office hours, please call (770) 991-2800. If you have any problems or questions at other times, please call (770) 991-2800 and ask to speak with the ENT doctor on call.