It is day three in a hotel room, the splint is on, and your nose starts to tickle. Sneezing is allowed, with your mouth open: that is the rule three of the four NHS leaflets we compared give. What the leaflets ban is blowing your nose, for anything from 48 hours to two weeks, depending on the hospital and the operation.

Key takeaways

  • Three of the four NHS leaflets we compared give one rule for sneezing: keep your mouth open. One says this reduces pressure on the nose, and Cambridge says it protects the nose.
  • The no-blowing period in the four leaflets we compared runs from 48 hours (then very gently) to two weeks, so the date your own surgeon gives is the one that counts.
  • The NHS lists a hoarse voice or sore throat as a common effect of general anaesthetic that usually gets better within minutes or hours, so an early scratchy throat is not a nose problem.
  • One NHS leaflet lists bleeding that does not stop after 15 to 20 minutes of gentle pressure, or a continuous clear watery fluid from the nose, as reasons to seek medical help.

Whether any of this applies to you is your surgeon’s decision. The leaflets below come from UK hospitals and describe their own patients, so treat them as a range of normal practice, not as your instructions.

What do you do when a sneeze is coming?

The leaflets answer with one rule: sneeze with your mouth open. Cambridge University Hospitals tells patients: “If you think you are going to sneeze, try to do it with your mouth open, as this will protect your nose.” A July 2026 NHS leaflet, After Nasal Surgery, says the same and gives the reason: it “helps reduce pressure on your nose and supports healing”. Aneurin Bevan University Health Board in Wales gives the mouth-open rule in its septorhinoplasty discharge advice, together with the reason it gives for the whole group of rules: preventing nosebleeds.

The same July 2026 leaflet adds one more habit to drop. Avoid sniffing, it says, because sniffing “can increase swelling inside the nose”. So a tickle is not a reason to sniff it away either.

How long do the no-blowing rules last?

It varies by hospital and by operation. Here is what four leaflets say:

Leaflet Blowing your nose Sneezing
Cambridge University Hospitals, septorhinoplasty (approved Nov 2023) Not for about a week, “or it may start bleeding” Mouth open
NHS leaflet at pah.nhs.uk, After Nasal Surgery (July 2026) Not in the first 48 hours, then “very gently” during the first week Mouth open, and no sniffing
Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, septorhinoplasty (valid to July 2029) Not for the first 2 weeks Mouth open, for the same 2 weeks
Gloucestershire Hospitals, septoplasty aftercare (reviewed June 2025) Avoid for 1 week, to lower the risk of bleeding Same line as blowing, which refers to sneezing “with your mouth wide open”

The range is wide: 48 hours of strict rule in one leaflet, two weeks in another. The Gloucestershire leaflet is for septoplasty, an operation inside the nose, so it describes a different operation from the other three. For a wider spread of leaflets, see our guide to cleaning the nose after rhinoplasty.

In common practice in Turkey, a primary rhinoplasty means the splint comes off on day 7 (editorial note, October 2026). Do not read the day the splint comes off as the day blowing is allowed again. Ask for the blowing date separately, and ask for it in writing.

Why does your nose feel blocked and drip so much?

Because swelling, dried blood and mucus all sit inside the nose at once. The July 2026 leaflet calls it normal to have “a small amount of blood-stained discharge” and to feel blocked or congested, and puts the cause on swelling, dried blood and mucus. Cambridge says you may get blood-coloured watery fluid for the first two weeks or so and that this is nothing to worry about. The same July 2026 leaflet says sense of smell and taste may be reduced for a few weeks. Our page on smell after rhinoplasty goes into how long that tends to last.

Resting with your head raised helps with the swelling. The July 2026 leaflet suggests two or three pillows or a slightly upright position, and our guide to sleeping after rhinoplasty covers the options.

What about coughing and a sore throat?

A scratchy throat in the first hours is usually the anaesthetic, not your nose. The NHS lists a hoarse voice or sore throat caused by the tube in your throat among the side effects of a general anaesthetic, says these usually get better within a few minutes or hours, and notes that the effects can last around 24 hours (page last reviewed 29 November 2024).

None of the four leaflets gives a separate rule for coughing. The mouth-open advice for sneezing is the nearest guidance they offer, and the flu and cold guide covers a cough that comes with fever. If you are a smoker or a regular cougher, ask in advance what your surgeon wants you to do.

How do you keep sneeze triggers away on the trip?

Dust, smoke and crowds are what the leaflets point to. Cambridge says to rest at home and avoid crowds, smoky places and people with coughs and colds. Aneurin Bevan says to keep away from smoky or dusty environments and crowded places. Gloucestershire gives one week for avoiding crowded or dusty places and says infection can be picked up in the nose.

A short list for the hotel and the first week:

  • Bring a list of any allergies and ask the clinic who handles them in the first week. Whether you may take an allergy product is your surgeon’s call.
  • If hay fever is part of your life, the pollen calendar matters. Our guide to the best season for a nose job looks at timing.

When is it more than a sneeze?

The July 2026 leaflet lists these as reasons to contact your GP, NHS 111 or A&E in the UK:

  • a temperature, or signs of infection such as increasing pain, swelling, redness, warmth or discharge from the nose;
  • bleeding that does not stop after 15 to 20 minutes of gentle pressure with a cold pack on the bridge of the nose;
  • a continuous clear, watery fluid leaking from the nose;
  • swelling around the eye or any change in vision.

Some oozing is expected. Gloucestershire notes that the nose has a very rich blood supply and that some ooze or bleeding is normal, and Cambridge gives the risk of bleeding after the operation as one per cent. For more on nosebleeds, our nosebleed guide sets out what leaflets say. Abroad, ask for the local emergency number and the address of a hospital on the first day.

What should you ask your surgeon?

  • Until what date should I not blow my nose, and what do I do if I feel blocked?
  • If I need to sneeze, what do you want me to do?
  • Which of the first-week rules apply to my operation, and which are standard leaflet wording?
  • Who handles an allergy flare in the first week, and how do I reach them?
  • What counts as bleeding I should call about, and at what number?

Sources

Sources checked October 2026. Turkish practice on the splint is an editorial note from the Turkish market, October 2026.