The pain varies depending on the type of surgery.  I didn't have pain
for more than a few days and most other folks on this NG have reported
similar experiences.

Discuss your fears openly with your surgeon and he can prescribe
something for you.  My surgeon gave me a prescription for Percocet to
take after I returned home from the hospital.  It's a powerful
painkiller to get you through the first two days, which are usually the
most difficult.

Another remedy for swelling and pain is ice packs.  Just ice cubes in a
plastic bag, applied to the bridge of your nose, will help a lot.

I'm surprised your surgeon didn't go over all this with you.
Post-operative care is important for sinus surgery, and he should give
you detailed instructions as to how to take care of yourself after
surgery--pain management, nosebleed management, irrigation, etc.

Carina,

I had my deviated septum corrected and had maxillary anstrotomy a year
ago this past January.  I didn't have much pain after the surgery.
However, the awkward feeling of my nose being packed with cotton drove
me nuts.  I couldn't breath through either nostril at all.  I had the
surgery on a Friday morning and then went back on Monday for a checkup,
so I had 2+ days of mouth breathing.

The pain came on Monday when he removed the cotton packing.  Ahhhh!  Now
there are two things I need to say here...1) I found out later that some
(many?) doctors no longer pack the nose with cotton.  Maybe yours won't
(ask about it!).  2) Be sure and take your pain meds well before you go
and have the cotton removed (if they do indeed use it).

The plastic splits were removed several days later.  While not exactly a
lovely feeling, it was nowhere NEAR what it was like removing the packing.

The only other pain associated it with it was when you accidentally hit
your nose.  Some things you wouldn't think about normally will cause
some pain.  For instance, catching the edge of a t-shirt on your nose as
you're removing it.  Oh, and stay away from toddlers and jumping dogs.

Good luck and definitely talk about your concerns with your doctor.
They're there to help.

Not much pain with my septoplasty, turbinate reduction, and roto-rooter
of the drainage passages.  About two days of sore pain and stuffy nose
feeling.  Splints came out 6 days later.  No post surgery packing
required for mine, surgeon wants to remove the packing during
anethestic recovery if at all possilbe.

I had no significant pain and I had extensive surgery.

It depends in part on *who* does the surgery.

I am VERY tolerant of pain but my sinus surgery pain was way off
the charts.  I was hurting extremely bad for 2-3 days.

I've had two polyp removal surgeries and pain was not a problem,
however, there is a very uncomfortable feeling with the packing put in
the nose.  Sleeping is very hard becuase of the packing and having to
breath solely out of the mouth.  Pop a few vicadin and there is no pain
at all.

alex