[dkeat]

I thought I would mention that I had my turbinates grilled the other day with some sort of electrical cauterization device. Not Radio Frequency. It was not the most pleasant event of my life, but not the worst by far.

After waiting an hour for the doctor my nose (and it felt like my brain as well) was stuffed with cotton tampons soaked in a local anaesthetic. They manage to stuff about 5 of those per nostril and it is quite surprising how far into your nose they push them. This was certainly the least pleasant aspect of the whole procedure.

Then they left me sitting there for about 20 minutes. As the anaesthetic dripped down the back of my throat it became more and more difficult to swallow. As I no longer had control of the back of my throat, the stuff also started running down my windpipe, which caused a shortness of breath and coughing fits. Actually it was bearable, just unpleasant.

Finally the doctor reappeared and spent about 1 minute per nostril burning away tissue with his device. The unnerving part was, that after each burn he would ask that I exhale through the nose and puffs of white smoke would blow out. The device also made some interesting crackling and popping sounds while it was burning away. Once I felt a slight burning where the anaesthetic had apparently not done its job.

After that, they sent me home. I drove myself. I was actually a bit disoriented and I assume that the body did experience a low grade shock reaction. Better someone else drive if you can arrange for it.

When the anaesthetic wore off I had some burning in the nose, but that was very brief. I didn't need any pain medication. Just had a very stuffy nose, that I didn't treat either. The doctor gave me some ointment to put into the nose twice a day. It is completely natural. Actually, the great thing about this procedure is that it is about an non-invasive as surgery gets. Very little pain and very little chemical support.

They told me to expect the stuffy nose for from one to two weeks. I had the procedure on the 18th and already notice an improvement. It may take quite some time before I know if and how much improvement in my breathing will take place. The procedure may have to be repeated.

There was also a "side-effect". My front teeth and the surrounding gums are numb. This is due to nerve damage. It may or may not go away. It is not anything that will impact my life greatly either way.

I'd be interested in hearing from others who have had either this procedure, or the radio frequency procedure done. Let's compare notes.

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[Jere]

Ouch!

I had the RF done a few years ago. It was done in the ENT's office with a local. I remember it as being painful, but nothing like having the turbinectomy. There was no packing and I drove myself home. No smoke and no crackling, either.

My nose was stuffed for a few days and then the swelling reduced. There was definite improvement on the left side but less so on the right. At this point, my ENT says there is just not enough turbinate left to reduce either with RF or by surgery, and that I just have to live with having a very narrow airway in the right side.

In the end, all of the procedures have been worth it (even the surgery). I periodically have trouble with the right side, but even that is nothing like in the pre-surgery days. Also, the number of sinus infections have reduced to just 1 or 2 a year.

[Severeena]

I had the knock out surgery for my nose in 1990. I could not lay down I had to sleep sitting up.

The specialist that did my surgery ran into a wall of infection, I had vallerys where hills should have been you name it.

I had to keep ice water close by as I had to breath through my mouth.

I even had to use a child sipper lid because I could not have my nose bumped.

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[MrRandom]

ovD8JL U a BEEESSSTTTT!!!!

FFS, the internet is a big place, can't you find something else to do on it besides irritating forums with nonsense spamming?

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[dieselgal]

I would definitely not jump in line for the procedure! I tend towards panic attacks when I feel no control and that would have pushed all my buttons!

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