In the immediate aftermath of sinus surgery, there are a few simple do’s and don’ts that you need to be aware of. While your doctor will give you basic care instructions for your sinus surgery recovery period, it’s possible that you will be more focused on how you feel than thinking about the next two to three weeks. In general, you should be prepared to give your body several weeks to fully recover after your procedure.Here are a few of the best sinus surgery recovery tips from the experts:

Get Home Safely

When you are ready to go home after your surgery, be prepared to have a responsible adult drive you home. Considering that you will have just undergone anesthesia, you likely won’t be in the right state of mind to drive or operate heavy machinery.

Take it Easy

During your recovery, it’s best that you exert as little effort as possible. Avoid pushing or pulling anything heavy, and try not to bend or strain your body in any way. Following these instructions will help you avoid potential complications such as nosebleeds.

Elevate Your Head

Following any kind of surgery or procedure, your sinus passages will likely become swollen. To help the swelling go down, it is important to keep your head elevated – even when you are sleeping. Plan on using some extra pillows to prop your head up at night.

Stay Hydrated

Many people are forced to breathe through the mouth instead of the nose following their procedure, which leaves you with a dry mouth. Consume juicy fruits to keep your mouth moist, and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.Avoid drinking alcohol or other beverages that can dehydrate you or irritate your sinuses. You should also avoid spicy foods that are known to cause sinus drainage.

Medicate Carefully

In the two weeks following your balloon sinuplasty procedure, there are certain medications you must take and must not take. For the ones that you must take, your doctor will provide you with specific post procedure medications and directions for you to follow.After your sinus surgery, avoid taking blood-thinning medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen, Excedrin and Advil. Prescriptions like Heparin, Warfarin and Lovenox should also be avoided, as they are blood-thinners too. Finally, do not use any allergy medications or nasal sprays unless your doctor instructs you otherwise.

Check the Gauze Beneath Your Nose

Most likely, your doctor will place a small piece of gauze beneath your nose to catch any drainage that results during your balloon sinuplasty recovery. There may be a small amount of blood drainage as your sinus passages heal. You should keep an eye on the gauze and change it regularly. If you notice a significant amount of blood, contact your doctor immediately.

American Sinus Institute

The American Sinus Institute is happy to answer any of your questions and concerns about your recovery from sinus surgery.Our Balloon Sinuplasty procedure is an excellent option for many patients and offers significant advantages over traditional sinus surgery. Balloon Sinuplasty is non-invasive and reshapes the sinus cavities via a balloon that has been inserted with a catheter and then inflated, rather than the cutting away of sinus tissue and subsequent stitches and gauze packing of traditional sinus surgery. As a non-invasive procedure, the recovery time from Balloon Sinuplasty is much shorter than that of traditional sinus surgery.We have helped hundreds of patients breathe better, and we are confident that we can help you as well. Please contact us today to learn more.