“How long does pain from rhinoplasty last?”

1 week at most

Hello. Rhinoplasty has very little pain, even with the fracture or breaking of the bones. If there is pain, it will last less than 5 days.

Surprisingly, most patients say that there really is no significant pain following a standard rhinoplasty. Nine out of 10 of my patients say they either never took the pain medication or only took it the first day. Most say that the discomfort is stuffiness and some aching, but only one out of 10 says that it is painful. I do a closed rhinoplasty procedure which is less invasive than an open procedure. This could account in part for the minimal pain and swelling that usually follow closed rhinoplasty. If one has septal work, there would be a packing which introduces additional discomfort in the form of stuffiness and perhaps some additional pain. But after 30 years and approximately 3,000 rhinoplasties, I can honestly say that the majority of patients are surprised at the lack of pain following a routine rhinoplasty.
Thank you for your question.

Regards,

Robert Ciardullo, MD

This can vary as to the experience of the operator and how well the postoperative course goes. The main thing is that you go to an experienced surgeon. You must follow the postoperative orders, especially keeping the head elevated and avoiding exercise. There most likely will be packing, and when this is removed, it is considerably more comfortable.

The typical pain and discomfort of a Rhinoplasty is usually very short. Most patients will feel some acute pain the first 24 to 72 hours that is well controlled with medication. After that most patients will feel mostly pressure and throbbing and less pain. Occasionally some patients will have pain for one week but beyond that is very unusual.

Variable pain depending on how much is done. Please consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon.

Generally, pain from a rhinoplasty is mild to moderate. It occurs over the bridge to the tip of the nose, upper lip, or upper teeth. Some people don't experience so much pain as they do numbness along the same areas lasting as long as the pain. The pain peaks a day to three after the surgery and usually abates by the end of the week. Some patients can have pain for up to 2-3 weeks although it is less common. Some patients may have numbness that can last even several months after surgery, although this is very uncommon.

24 to 48 hours