Recovery guide
ClariFix and RhinAer Recovery Guide
Quick answer: After ClariFix or RhinAer, expect mild bleeding for the first few days, crusting, and feeling more stuffed up than before while the swelling settles. Use saline spray every few hours while awake, do not blow your nose for 1 week, and avoid heavy lifting, strenuous exercise and flying for 1 week. A runny nose improves over the following weeks.
What should I expect?
ClariFix and RhinAer both treat nerves at the back of the nose involved in a chronic runny nose, so the first week feels similar:
- Some bleeding from the nose for the first few days. It is usually mild.
- Feeling more congested than you did before. This comes from swelling after the procedure and improves with time.
- Crusting and dried blood in the nose.
- Mild nasal soreness or pain.
See below for what is different about each procedure.
How do I care for my nose?
- Saline spray: use nasal saline spray every few hours while awake until your follow-up visit.
- Afrin (oxymetazoline): you may use it as needed for bleeding and congestion for 3 to 5 days, then stop.
- Sleep with your head raised on an extra pillow or two.
- Mild bleeding: tape a piece of gauze under your nose and change it as needed.
- Pain: over-the-counter acetaminophen (Tylenol) and either ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve), taken as directed on the bottle, are usually enough.
- Do not blow your nose for the first week, and sneeze with your mouth open.
When can I get back to normal?
- Avoid heavy lifting, strenuous exercise or anything tiring for 1 week.
- We recommend not flying for 1 week.
After ClariFix
- Some people have a headache after the procedure. It should go away within a few hours.
- It typically takes 2 to 6 weeks to fully heal and notice fewer nasal symptoms.
After RhinAer
- Bleeding is usually limited to the first 1 to 2 days.
- A runny nose and congestion typically improve over several weeks as the treated nerves quiet down.
When should I call?
Call us for
- A fever over 101°F that does not go away
- Bleeding from the nose that does not stop, or any bleeding that worries you
- Nasal pain that gets worse or becomes severe
- After ClariFix, a severe headache that does not go away
Call 911 or go to the ER for
Severe bleeding that cannot be controlled, or bleeding with lightheadedness or fainting.
Austin 512-339-4040 · Lakeway 512-682-4798 · Marble Falls 830-992-2830
Questions patients ask
Swelling after the procedure makes most people feel more congested than before for a while. It improves as the inside of the nose heals. Saline spray every few hours and Afrin for the first 3 to 5 days help.
ClariFix typically takes 2 to 6 weeks to fully heal and show fewer nasal symptoms. After RhinAer, a runny nose and congestion typically improve over several weeks.
Not for the first week. Sneeze with your mouth open, and use saline spray to loosen crusts instead.
We recommend not flying for 1 week after either procedure.
Some people have a headache after ClariFix. It should go away within a few hours. Call us for a severe headache that does not go away.
This guide is for educational purposes only and does not replace an in-person evaluation. If your surgeon gave you different instructions, follow theirs.
Full guide: capitalent.com/clarifix-rhinaer-recovery.html