Headaches after sinus surgery are common, and it’s important to understand why they happen and what can be done about them.
Post-operative headaches are often caused by pain medication or other medications used during the surgery. You may have a headache because of congestion in the sinuses following your surgery, which can cause pressure in your head. In some cases, a headache may occur due to swelling around your eyes after surgery.
If you have a headache following sinus surgery and would like more information on how to manage it, please contact our office today for an appointment with
Sinus surgery is a safe and effective procedure for those with sinus problems, but it can result in some side effects.
The most common complication is nasal bleeding. This usually occurs during the first 3 days after surgery, and it’s easily controlled with nasal packs. In rare cases, bleeding may occur later on and require a second procedure to control it.
Another common concern is dry nose or crusting inside the nose after surgery. This may be managed in several ways:
Using saline solution sprays can help keep your nose moist. Saline solution sprays are available over-the-counter at drugstores or pharmacies. These sprays are often helpful for clearing out mucus from your nose as well as moisturizing it. Some people find that putting a drop of saline solution into each nostril every hour or two helps keep their noses moist.
Taking certain medications can help decrease crusting inside your nose after surgery. These medications include steroids, antihistamines and decongestants (drugs that shrink swollen tissue).
Is it common to have headaches after sinus surgery?
The most common cause for headaches after sinus surgery is a change in the way you breathe. The surgery can affect how your sinuses drain and how your brainstem regulates breathing, which may cause you to feel congested. This can lead to headaches and other symptoms like postnasal drip.
Sinus surgery is often performed on patients who have chronic sinusitis (an inflammation of the nasal passages) or nasal polyps (growths inside the nose). These conditions can cause nasal congestion and pressure, leading to headaches.
The good news is that these symptoms usually go away after a few days or weeks. If they don’t, talk to your doctor about what you can do to manage them.
The most common complication of sinus surgery is a headache. It is not unusual for patients to have headaches for a few days after the procedure, but if you are still having headaches after two weeks, then you should contact your surgeon. You may need to have your nose packed again to relieve the pressure.
You should also contact your surgeon if you develop new nasal symptoms or bleeding, as these could be signs of infection or other complications.
How long will I have headaches after sinus surgery?
The recovery time will differ from patient to patient, but in general the headaches should go away within a few days.
You should expect to be out of work for at least one week after surgery. Your doctor may recommend that you take pain medications before the procedure and after the surgery. You should also expect to have some swelling and bruising around the area where your sinuses were operated on. This is normal and will usually subside within a week or two after surgery.
If you feel any discomfort or pain during this time, contact your doctor immediately as it could be a sign of infection or other complications.
It is very common to have a headache after sinus surgery. The headaches are usually felt on the forehead and are made worse by bending over or coughing. Some people also have pain around the eyes and cheekbones.
The headaches can last for up to 2 weeks after your surgery. They can be treated with over-the-counter pain medicines such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
If you continue to have headaches after 2 weeks, contact your doctor right away.
After your surgery, you should be able to go home within a few hours. You may feel tired and have some pain, but that should be relieved with pain medication.
In most cases, you will be able to return to work or school within a couple of days. However, it’s important that you take it easy for the first few weeks after your surgery so that you can heal properly.
You will probably have pain in your nose and face immediately after surgery, but this should be relieved with pain medications. You may also experience some swelling and bruising around your eyes or nose. It is normal for this bruising to last for several weeks after the procedure. Your doctor or nurse may prescribe an antibiotic to prevent infection during this time period as well
The headaches you are having after sinus surgery are probably due to swelling in the facial area. The surgeon has done all they can do, so it is now up to your body to heal itself.
It will take 4-6 weeks for you to start feeling better, but it may take longer if you have had previous sinus infections, or if you have had prior surgeries.
You should not take anything for headache unless it is very severe and does not go away with Tylenol or Advil. If you have nausea, that can be helped by eating small amounts of bland food such as toast and rice or applesauce. You should try to sleep in a quiet room with no noise or light coming in from outside sources (windows). Sleeping on your back will help reduce swelling and pain so try to stay on your back as much as possible during the day when awake.
How long do headaches last after septoplasty?
The recovery time for a septoplasty is dependent on the complexity of the procedure.
The most common complication of a septoplasty is a headache, which usually lasts for a few days or weeks.
Some people experience headaches after the surgery, but this is not common. For example, in one study, only 2% of patients had headaches after septoplasty.Also, there have been no studies to show that these headaches were caused by the surgery itself.
On average, it takes about 7-10 days for a patient to feel completely recovered from septoplasty and sinus lift procedures. If you have any other symptoms like pain or drainage from your nose and throat area, then these symptoms should be resolved within about 2 weeks after your surgery.
Most headaches after septoplasty go away within a week or two. Some patients may have more persistent headaches, especially if they had a large hump on the septum that was removed.
We have treated hundreds of patients who have had septoplasty and we have never had one who reports continuing headaches after their surgery. If you are still having headaches 6 weeks after your surgery, then it is time to see your surgeon again so they can evaluate you and make sure everything went well with the procedure.
In general, it is not uncommon to have some postoperative bruising and swelling around the nose after septoplasty. This is usually minor and goes away on its own within a few days or weeks. More significant swelling can be treated with steroid medications or ice packs applied to the nose for 20 minutes every 2 hours at home (after the initial 24 hours).
The most common complication of septoplasty is bleeding from an injury to one of the small blood vessels inside the nose during surgery (see below). Bleeding from these vessels usually stops on its own within 1-2 days after surgery but can be treated with steroids or blood thinners if needed in order to stop bleeding.
How long does it take to fully recover from sinus surgery?
Most people recover from sinus surgery within a few weeks. The length of recovery time varies depending on the type of surgery you have and the severity of your symptoms.
Many people can return to work in as little as three days after having their surgery. However, it will take at least a week before you can return to any strenuous activity, such as exercise or sports. Most patients are able to return to their normal activities within two weeks after their surgery.
The recovery time for sinus surgery varies from patient to patient, but it’s typically about a week. Recovery time also depends on the type of surgery you had done.
The most common types of sinus surgery are:
Endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). This is a minimally invasive type of surgery that uses a camera to look inside the nasal cavity and sinuses and to remove any obstruction that’s causing nasal blockage. ESS may be done in combination with other procedures, such as balloon dilation or turbinectomy.
Open-skull or intracranial surgery. This type of surgery involves making an incision in your skull and then removing bone in order to access your sinuses. It’s usually only used as a last resort when other treatments haven’t worked.
Most patients can go back to work within a few days, though you should check with your doctor. Full recovery typically takes 1-2 weeks, but it depends on the type of surgery, your age and general health.
The most common symptom after surgery is pain. You may experience mild to moderate pain in the first 24 hours after surgery, but this typically goes away quickly. Some patients have pain that lasts longer than a week. If you have significant pain that lasts longer than two weeks, contact your doctor immediately.
You may also experience some drainage from your nose during the first few days after surgery. You may notice clear or cloudy discharge coming from one or both nostrils, which will usually clear up on its own in 2-3 weeks.
I had my surgery done on December 28, 2017. I was in the hospital for 2 days and then released to go home. I have been feeling good since that time. I went back to work on January 4th, 2018 and have been working since then.
I am still taking antibiotics, but they are only once a day now instead of twice.
My nose is still very swollen and there is some numbness in my upper lip, but this is getting better every day.
How do I get rid of a headache after sinus surgery?
The most frequent postoperative complication following sinus surgery is a headache. This can occur from several different causes.
The headache may be caused by swelling in the sinuses that has not yet resolved, by a nasal blockage, by residual pain from the surgery or by some other cause.
Swelling in the sinuses can take up to three weeks to resolve and usually resolves without any specific treatment. Nasal obstruction may be relieved by decongestants such as Sudafed (pseudoephedrine). Pain will respond best to pain medications taken by mouth such as Tylenol (acetaminophen) or Advil (ibuprofen). Some patients also do well with topical nasal sprays that contain steroids.
If you are still having a significant amount of pain after two weeks, you should see your doctor again for possible revision of your surgery.
It is not uncommon to have headaches after sinus surgery. The headaches can be from the pressure of the packing in your nose, from coughing or sneezing, or from pain medication.
The first week after surgery is usually the most painful time for patients. It is important to follow your surgeon’s instructions about taking pain medications and not to take any over-the-counter medications that contain aspirin or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) as these will thin your blood.
Some patients may need a short course of oral steroids for their headache. You should discuss this with your surgeon or doctor who performed your surgery.
When you have sinus surgery, you’re probably going to have some pain afterward. It’s not uncommon for people to experience headaches after sinus surgery, and there are several things that can help you relieve your headache.
The best way to get rid of a headache is through medication. There are a number of over-the-counter pain relievers that work well for headaches, such as ibuprofen (Advil), acetaminophen (Tylenol), or aspirin. These medications can be taken as needed, but it’s important not to take them more than once per day or at the same time every day because this will make your body dependent on them and increase your risk for side effects.
If these medications don’t work for you, talk with your doctor about prescription drugs that might be a better fit. Your doctor may recommend acetaminophen with codeine or a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) like naproxen (Aleve).
If you have a headache after sinus surgery, your doctor may prescribe pain medication, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Or you can take over-the-counter pain relievers, such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil), and naproxen (Aleve).
If it’s been less than 48 hours since your surgery and you’ve taken all the prescribed pain medication, be sure to call your doctor before taking any more. You may need a stronger prescription for pain relief.
If the pain persists after 48 hours from surgery, talk to your doctor about alternative medications or other ways to relieve the pressure in your head and sinuses.
Are headaches common after deviated septum surgery?
A deviated septum is a condition in which the nasal septum, or wall between the nostrils, is bent. The septum can be deviated to the left or right, or even crooked.
After deviated septum surgery, patients can experience headaches for a variety of reasons. A deviated septum can cause chronic sinusitis, and this can lead to headaches. Nasal allergies may also cause headaches after deviated septum surgery, especially if the patient has been suffering from allergies prior to the operation.
If you are experiencing headaches after deviated septum surgery, then it is important that you discuss your symptoms with your doctor so that they can make a proper diagnosis and determine whether or not you need treatment for these symptoms.
Are headaches common after deviated septum surgery?
Yes. Headaches are quite common after deviated septum surgery. It takes time for the swelling and any pain to subside. The pain may be due to the surgery itself, or because of the congestion in your nose from the surgery. You may also have difficulty breathing through one nostril for a few days after surgery. This can cause headaches as well. In addition, if you had a deviated septum that was causing symptoms, those symptoms will likely return as the swelling goes down and your nose reverts back to its usual shape.
How long do headaches last after deviated septum surgery?
Headaches can last anywhere from a few days up to 2 weeks after deviated septum surgery; however, most people notice improvement within 7-10 days after their procedure.
I have had many patients with headaches after deviated septum surgery. I do not think it is common, but it is possible. I would recommend that you schedule an appointment with your plastic surgeon to discuss your concerns.
It is possible that the headaches are due to something else such as sinusitis or allergies, but it is also possible that they could be related to your surgery. There are several things that can cause headaches after rhinoplasty or septoplasty including:
Post-operative swelling
Pain medications
Altered sense of smell and taste (anosmia)
Pressure on the trigeminal nerve which can cause headaches
The most common complications of deviated septum surgery are bleeding and infection. These are both easily treated with antibiotics and/or a blood transfusion, respectively.
Other possible complications include:
Inability to breathe through the nose after surgery (this is rare, but it can happen if the surgeon accidentally removes an essential piece of tissue in the nasal passage).
A more prominent bump on the nose after surgery (which usually becomes less prominent over time).
If you have any questions about your specific situation, be sure to ask your doctor before your surgery date.