2 Tips To Alleviate Nasal Congestion Following Orthognathic Jaw Surgery

Nasal tubes are inserted before your orthognathic jaw surgery in order to provide anesthesia as well as air during surgery. When the surgery is complete, these tubes will be removed. While the tube removal will not hurt, it can result in some irritation once you begin to heal from the surgery. You may notice an increased amount of nasal congestion once you get home. Dealing with nasal congestion after orthognathic jaw surgery can be extremely uncomfortable and will make it difficult to sleep. Blowing your nose immediately after the surgery in order to get rid of the congestion is not recommended. Fortunately, there are a few other tips that you can use to help alleviate nasal congestion following your orthognathic jaw surgery.

Steam Your Face with Peppermint Oil

A good steamy shower or bath is good for opening blocked areas throughout your body during a sickness. This same technique can be used to get rid of your nasal congestion following your surgery. Peppermint essential oil can be added to the steam in order assist in opening your blocked airways. If you do not have a face steamer, then you can boil a medium sized pot of water on the stove. Once the water boils, add it to a non-plastic bowl and add in five drops of peppermint essential oil. Press your face into the bowl without touching your skin against the hot water. Place a towel overhead and try your best to take in several deep breaths. Allow the hot steam and peppermint oil soak into your nose.

Use a Nasal Spray Throughout the Day

A nasal spray is a good way to temporarily ease your nasal congestion until it begins to subside on its own. The nasal spray should not be used for more than a few days. If it is used longer than that, then you can risk becoming getting used to the spray. This will make the spray ineffective. Once your nasal congestion returns, it may feel worse than it initially did. A nasal spray can easily be picked up from a local grocery store. The spray can be administered throughout the day. However, you may want to use it while at work and before bed in order to help you sleep uninterrupted.

Fighting off nasal congestion immediately after your orthognathic jaw surgery can be a huge undertaking. Giving yourself proper time to heal will permanently eliminate this issue. Until then, use these tips to help you alleviate the nasal congestion. Contact your dentist or oral surgeon if you have any questions.

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