Snoring After Rhinoplasty and What Can Help

You may never have snored before, or only snored a little, but after rhinoplasty you find that you snore more, more loudly and for longer, disturbing your sleep so that you wake up feeling less refreshed than usual.

Snoring After Rhinoplasty, a Mistake or a Coincidence?

Normally, breathing makes no sound. When someone makes a sound while breathing or sleeping, there can be several causes. Most often, the airway in the throat becomes narrower and the uvula vibrates, which causes snoring.

In some cases, snoring after rhinoplasty gradually improves as the nose structure heals (results depend on each person) and goes away once the nose has settled and the swelling has gone down.

Changes to the face from rhinoplasty or facial reshaping surgery, such as a smaller chin or a nose augmentation, can make snoring more likely. This can be caused by:

1. Narrowing of the Airway, Nostrils or Throat

This obstructs airflow while you breathe and makes the tissues in the throat vibrate, causing a sound during sleep (snoring).

2. Swelling After Surgery

After rhinoplasty or nose reshaping, the nose swells. This narrows the airway and gradually improves as the swelling goes down.

3. Taking Certain Medicines

Medicines such as painkillers and sleeping tablets relax the muscles and narrow the airway, which is one cause of snoring. When you stop taking the medicine, the symptom improves and you snore less or not at all, if you did not snore before.
If you still snore and it disturbs your sleep after you have recovered from rhinoplasty and your nose has settled, consult a doctor to find suitable treatment.

Note: Repeat nose surgery, which many people know as ‘nose reshaping’, is surgery for people who have had nose surgery before and need a further assessment by a surgeon. The approach to care depends on the original problem, the nose structure and the surgeon’s judgement in each case.