If you sleep with a partner who frequently complains that your loud snoring keeps waking them up, you are probably willing to do anything to put an end to your nightly “performances” – including surgery. But is surgical snoring cessation possible? For many people, the answer is yes. Read on to learn more about how nose surgery can help relieve common respiratory issues.

Nose Surgery to Correct Breathing Problems

Your nose serves a crucial functional role, in addition to its aesthetic impact on the overall balance and harmony among your other facial features. You may think of rhinoplasty as being purely a cosmetic procedure, but this operation can improve breathing for many patients as well. 

The wall of bone and cartilage that divides your nostrils is called the nasal septum. Some people are born with a displaced or deviated septum, while others may experience an injury or accident such as a broken nose later in life that causes their septum to become deviated. A surgical procedure designed to correct breathing problems due to a crooked or misshapen nasal septum is called a septoplasty. 

If you choose to have a septoplasty done as part of your rhinoplasty, Dr. Schmidt can alter both the shape and the function of your nose to improve your breathing, sleeping, and overall quality of life. You can also opt to change the appearance of your nose, such as straightening it or reducing its width or projection. Sometimes, you may be able to use your health insurance to defray part or all the costs of a nasal surgery whose primary purpose is to correct breathing problems.

The Functions of Your Nose

You already know a nose that is too small or too large can make the rest of your face appear imbalanced. But did you know about all the functional roles your nasal passages serve? In addition to helping you smell and taste your food, your nasal passages play a role in heat exchange. In other words, your nose can warm the air you breathe to match your body temperature, and humidify it so your internal airways remain at their optimum moisture levels.

Your nose also serves a vital function within your immune system. It filters out common pollutants like dust, mold, and chemicals and prevents them from entering your airways, and it stores blood cells that fight germs before they can infiltrate your body. 

Who Is a Good Candidate for Rhinoplasty to Improve Breathing?

There are several reasons you might seek nose surgery to stop snoring at night and help you breathe more comfortably during the day. If you snore because you prefer to sleep on your back, have severe sleep apnea, or are overweight, getting nose surgery may not be the best solution for your issues. However, if you have a deviated septum that is blocking the airflow to one or both of your nostrils, you may wish to consider combining a rhinoplasty with a septoplasty to restore your breathing function. 

Inside your nose, there are also three to four turbinate bones that direct airflow and help clean the air before it reaches your lungs. If the tissue around these bones becomes swollen and enlarged because of allergies or other respiratory issues, it can block breathing. If this is the case for you, Dr. Schmidt can reduce the size of this thickened lining to give you relief. 

Choosing the Right Rhinoplasty Surgeon

Since your nose plays vital functional and aesthetic roles, you need to find a surgeon who is skilled at manipulating the bone, cartilage, and airways in a way that preserves both those purposes. Dr. Schmidt uses his extensive training in head and neck surgery to inform all the rhinoplasty and septoplasty procedures he performs, and he is also double board-certified, which is a hallmark of his dedication to maintaining the highest standards of patient safety and medical ethics. 

If you live in the greater Denver or Steamboat Springs area of Colorado and would like to learn more about rhinoplasty to restore the form and function of your nose, contact Schmidt Facial Plastic Surgery to schedule your confidential consultation. Dr. Schmidt and his team are pleased to provide concierge-level service that helps all our patients feel satisfied with their results.