Fast Facts
Keep using your steroid nasal spray every day until surgery to get the best result from surgery.
Take 2 weeks off to recover. Stay within one hour of a hospital for 2 weeks after surgery in case bleeding occurs.
Rinsing with saline four times a day for 6 weeks is the most important thing to get a good outcome.
Surgery doesn’t cure rhinitis and allergy, most people still need to use medication like a steroid nasal spray before and after surgery.
What is this for? Is it effective?
The nasal septum is a wall that runs down the middle of the nose, dividing the nose into left and right sides. The septum runs from the tip of the nose almost to the very back of the throat. A bent septum (septal deviation) can cause blocked nose. Straightening the septum can improve blocked nose. This is called septoplasty.
The turbinates are bones on the side wall of the nose, about 10cm long. They are covered by the lining of the nose (mucosa).
The turbinates swell due to rhinitis, causing congestion, blocked nose and runny nose. Rhinitis can be caused by a virus (a cold), allergy, hayfever or irritation, for example from dust, smoke, perfume, cleaning products, alcohol.
The turbinates shrink when you are exercising and with medications, like steroid nasal sprays or anti-histamines. Medication is very effective in treating rhinitis. If the turbinates have been swollen for a long time, they may not shrink back to a normal size with medication. Surgery may be needed to reduce the size of the turbinates and relieve blocked nose. This is called turbinoplasty.
Surgery doesn’t cure rhinitis due to allergy or irritation. It makes more space inside the nose. Swelling can recur and so most patients will need to start using steroid nasal spray again after surgery to prevent the turbinates swelling again.
19 of 20 people who have surgery for blocked nose have long term improvement. 1 of 20 have recurrent or persistent blocked nose due the septum moving again, the turbinates enlarging again or scar tissue (adhesions) forming.