5 Natural Ways to Reduce Swelling After Jaw Surgery
Two and a half weeks post jaw surgery, and no more swelling!
After my upper jaw advancement surgery exactly 2.5 weeks ago, I wanted my facial swelling, crusty lips, and general mask-like appearance to go away as quickly as possible so I could see what I was really going to look like for the rest of my life. I had very little swelling for the first 60 hours after jaw surgery. I commended myself on all the bromelain I took in the weeks leading up to jaw surgery and thought I was in the clear.
But, on the fourth day, my swelling reached its ugly peak. On the fifth day, Dr. Li called me Richard Nixon. On the sixth day, still nothing had changed and so I resigned myself to the slow recovery process I’d heard about and feared.
But, magically, on the seventh day, my mask loosened, then crumbled. I could smile without pain, I could laugh without restraint. People stopped looking at me with pitying glances. And, for the first time, I looked in the mirror and saw the old me instead of the expressionless, taught dollface I’d been seeing for the past 7 days.
Now at 2.5 weeks, no one can believe I had surgery. While this irks me slightly because I’m still on my crappy restricted diet of mush and gruel, I’m just happy not to invite stares anymore, and even happier with how healthy and right my smile looks.
Here are 5 things I did to reduce my swelling after getting my skull sawed:
1. Follow a high-dose regimen of vitamins and supplements
Bromelain is a powerful enzyme that’s been approved by the German government as an effective anti-inflammatory for surgery, especially around the nose and sinus. It’s also known as a treatment for sports injury, digestion, and cancer.
Turmeric is recognized in traditional Indian Ayurveda and Western naturopathic medicine as a potent anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer agent. The International Journal of Cancer reported that its active ingredient, curcumin, killed cancerous growth in lab tests. I’ve also had Indian master yogis tell me it works wonders for flexibility and joint health. This results page has tons more info.
Quercetin is one of my favorite bioflavanoids because it’s an antihistamine. Since transitioni
ng to a healthy diet and lifestyle as an adult, my allergies have been much less severe than when I was a junk-food eating teenager. But, I still take quercetin to calm my occasional allergy symptons, which I did NOT want to experience after upper jaw and septum surgery. Luckily, it’s also known to be an anti-inflammatory and, like many anti-inflammatory treatments, an anti-cancer agent. (Chinese medicine and Western naturopathic medicine both link chronic, systemic inflammation to cancer, so the dual role of these treatments makes sense).
Vitamin C is, quite simply, one of the world’s greatest cure-alls. In fact, Michael Murray, the author of the Encylopedia of Natural Medicine, says it is THE cheapest anti-oxidant you can find on the market. What American doesn’t love bang for their buck? You’ll always find an extra-large bottle of high quality food-based Vitamin C in my cupboard.
2. Take lots of walks
Even if I was feeling tired, freakish-looking, and lazy, I forced myself to take a shower, put on normal clothes and take a 30 minute walk every single day. Dr. Li said that walking helps with lymph drainage after surgery, and that patients should start going for short walks the day after surgery - I take his word for it. I noticed that my swelling was usually at its daily peak in the morning, after a night of being immobile and horizontal. My swelling was at its most minimal after my walk. It’s also important to leave the couch and accompanying furry friends, if you have them, and get out to breathe and exercise.
3. Ice like you just ran a marathon
I ran a marathon in 2003, one of the hardest and most rewarding accomplishments of my life. After the race, I took an ice bath, as recommended by some huge runner’s bible I’d bought. Though it was excruciating, I had no absolutely no muscle soreness after the marathon and was ready to run again in only a few days. After jaw surgery, I iced for 30 minute increments, off and on all day long, for the first 3 to 4 days. I often noticed an immediate swelling reduction after icing, so I know it paid off.
4. Stay very well hydrated
Water can help to flush out excess bloating and swelling. It can be tough to drink anything when you’re dealing with jaw surgery, but it’s critically important and well worth the extra work.
5. Try Traumeel and arnica
Traumeel is an arnica cream that’s a fantastic recovery aid for any type of injury or trauma, as the name suggests. I applied Traumeel to my face several times a day, for the first 7 days after jaw surgery. Traumeel cream, and arnica in pill form, addresses the swelling and also bruising. Bruising is common with jaw surgery, but I had absolutely NONE.
Is it worth it to take extra measures to reduce swelling and pain faster? I think so. I read somewhere on the Web that the swelling can sometimes take 4 months to go away. 4 months!! I remember thinking, hell no, that’s not gonna be me. And it wasn’t!
Hey, i had lower and upper jaw surgery almost two weeks ago on November 9. I am pretty swollen and a bit of bruising and my mom wants me to go back to school this week and I am definitely not looking forward to it! I just found his website so I am going to start doing your suggestions just wondering if you recommend anything! I sure hope this helps!
Hey, I had jaw surgery on October 29, 2010. I’m just shy of 2 months post op but the right side of my face hasn’t healed as much as my left side. My right side still hurts a lot and i can’t chew any food with it. It’s really annoying. Anyone else have this problem? I had upper and lower jaw surgery and I can feel all the metal retaining wires and screws in my face. I have two on either side of my nose right up under my eyes and I have two on the top of my upper jaw going towards my ears on either sides of my nose and i have one on both sides of my cheeks about one inch from my chin. The surgeon said that over time that the swelling in these areas would go down.
Christine, I would suggest you wait at least 3 weeks if not 4 before going back to school. I was on a liquid diet for 4 weeks and if I had to have gone to school I wouldn’t have been able too. Again, it depends on how YOU feel and how well your eating.
How long after surgery did they remove the splint? Also when were you able to speak normally? I am 10 days post-op. I had my first follow up appointment yesterday and they had already removed the splint and left me with two elastics that i can remove when I eat. My concern is I am finding it very difficult to talk. my swelling has gone down a lot in the first week but I do have numbness spread out but especially my lower lips and lower chin. could that have something to do with me not being able to speak properly?
Dear Susan
THank you for your sharing about reducing swelling after jaw surgery, you are so kind, your way really helps a lot to me.
I had cheekbone reduction and jaw surgery on 22 Dec 2010 with Dr Kim Byung Gun.
I was so desperately because until day 26, my face still swollen very bad, i look so strange, people wondering happend with me.
then i found your blog, and i directly buy all the medicines that you drink.
In 5 days, my face started to look better, a lot !
Even i still look a bit chubby, but my face not look strange, still can be acceptable as gaining a little bit weight.
For people who reads my comment, please do what susan suggest above, it really really works
1. I drank 2000 mg of Bromelain per day
2. 2000 mg of quercentrin per day
3. 1000 mg vitamin C per day
4. Tumeric 1800 mg per day
5. i gave 1 hour interval for each medicine
6. Sleep in sitting position > really help reduce the swelling.
7. Take a lot of walk, at least 1-2 hours per day
8. Use compressive garment when you sleep or when you are at home, it really help to reduce the swelling especially when you wake up in the morning
9. On day 32, I add chinese medicine, called Pien Tze Huang, it quite expensive, 1 box contains of 3 gram (around USD 30 dollars), i drank 3 gram per day (@1 gram per drink) > really work fast to reduce swelling, you can see a lot of difference everyday
now, i am on my day 36, i look ok, still look a bit chubby, my friend tought i gain a bit weight, but i still do all the way from above
well, good luck friends, hope your body will work faster by doing all of that
cheers
thank you Susan, you are our savior
Hey Susan,
I had jaw surgery almost 4 weeks ago and my face is still very swollen. My teeth are banded in the front so it’s basically impossible for me to take any pills. What can I do to make this swelling go away as quick as possible!
Help
hi,
i got assaulted last week and i sustained three cheek bone fractures and i am worried about surgery as i never had any kind of plates inserted in my body. does it feel weird or abnormal after operation? whats your experience with that? thanks
regards
ricky
i am two months post op and i hate the results. he made me face too wide ( i used to be long and matched my figure) Could it just be the swelling… How different does your face look at 3 or 4 months compared to two motnhs?
Hi Ricky,
So sorry to hear that. That is terrible. Nothing felt weird afterward, and I don’t feel the plates at all. I think that is the usual experience with those, but your case is a bit different than mine, so definitely check with your doctor.
Hope you get better very soon.
Susan
Susan,
Thanks a million for sharing your very helpful suggestions and advice.
I will try it for my surgery on Monday!
ska
Hi, I had 2 wisdom teeth taken out, 5mm cut away from my top jaw cos I had such a big gummy smile and my bottom jaw broken and bought forward about 11mm. It’s great to find other people who have been thru similar operations and are pretty happy with the results. It’s only been 5 days since I had the op done so I still don’t know if the op has done everything I hoped for yet. Fingers crossed!!!, it’s strange how the bone doesn’t really ache, it’s more the swelling,tightness and mangled flesh in your mouth that hurts so much. I just want the swelling to go and get the stupid braces off and be normal again. It’ll all be worth it I’m sure. Deb
Wow, Susan.
I’ve been following your blog for a couple of years. I didn’t realize you are still actively involved in responding to comments. Awesome!
I had jaw surgery (upper/lower/genio) in July 2009. It didn’t go as planned so I will have to go through it again (upper jaw only) in July of this year. I’m hoping that following a homeopathic routine such as yours will aid in a quicker healing process.
By the way, your blog is AWESOME. I have one as well at http://www.sawthejaw.blogspot.com, if readers are interested in following the blog of a “two-timer” such as myself.
Thanks for your great details and support of others as they go through the journey.
I had surgery on March 23rd. First week and a 1/2, I was out of it. Now four weeks later, my chin looks crooked and 2 weeks ago, I developed extreme cotton mouth, to the point, I live on Biotene. I asked doctor about salivary gland blockage and he said that he sees saliva but apparently, i had a friend look and I have no saliva in front of mouth, teeth are bone dry and tongue tip looks and feels burned. Has anyone experienced this and do you have any suggestions? Dawn
Hi Susan,
I have this problem and deciding to have this operation. My first appointment would be in June this year. I just find this website and the information helps. But the pictures are missing. Hope to see the pictures as well.
I am really confused, as I have a very flat nose and underbite, I think my face would change a lot and so…
Thanks
Thank you for the nice comment, CeCe! I’m sorry to hear you’ll be doing a second surgery, but the really good news is that you now have multiple months to prepare. Going into surgery with a ‘clean slate’ — and optimal systemic health — will work even better than the homeopathics
Please keep me updated!
–Susan
hi susan, i have had a top and bottom jaw surgery 1 weeks ago and my left side is really swollen, is there anything that help it go down?? plus am goin to go back to work in 3 weeks time and dnt want to be swollen.
I just had upper jaw surgery June first and Im in alot of pain. Mostly headaches n everything i try to do to reduce swelling doesnt work. I jus keep getting bigger. It was pretty hard to swallow anything but i finally got the hang of that. Is their anything yu wuld recomend to me to make my recovery alot easier and pain free?