I Underwent TCA Surgery to Widen My Nasal Passages
Lately, I’ve been struggling with severe rhinitis. Even when I take allergy medication, I don’t feel much of an effect, and over the past month or so, I’ve often caught myself breathing through my mouth without realizing it. Along with that, I’ve started snoring. Of course, it’s possible I’ve simply gained weight (laughs), but I think the stuffiness and difficulty breathing caused by my rhinitis are the main culprits.
Thinking, “I can’t go on like this!", I decided to undergo TCA surgery with the goal of widening my nasal passages.
The TCA Procedure Flow
Even though it’s called surgery, it’s a simple procedure. The flow of this procedure was as follows:
- Inserting anesthetic gauze into the nose
First, gauze soaked in a local anesthetic is packed into the nasal cavities. As expected, this hurts quite a bit! There was a dull, throbbing pain, especially when it was pushed into the narrower part of my left nasal cavity. - Applying the solution
Once the anesthetic took effect, trichloroacetic acid (TCA) was applied to a thin cotton swab, which was then carefully dabbed onto the narrow areas of the nasal passages. To be honest, this was also quite painful! Since it chemically treats the mucous membrane, it caused a burning sensation. - Applying ointment and using a nebulizer
Once the treatment was finished, ointment was applied inside the nasal cavities, followed by inhaling medication through the nose using a nebulizer. With that, the procedure was complete.
The total time required was about 20 to 30 minutes, but thanks to the pain along the way, it felt much longer.
Post-Procedure Impressions
Right after the application was finished, my nasal airflow improved dramatically. It made me think, “What was all that breathing difficulty about until now?" It had been a while since I felt air flowing smoothly through my nose, and I was even a bit moved.
However, for a few hours afterward, breathing through my nose caused a stinging pain. This stinging subsided after a few hours, but after a while, it felt like my nose was stuffed up again. According to the doctor, scabs will form and eventually shed about a week after the procedure, after which I will be able to feel the full effects.
Next Progress Report in One Week
TCA surgery is a procedure to widen the nasal passages by shrinking the mucous membranes. Therefore, the nasal passages do not completely widen immediately after the procedure; the process of mucous membrane regeneration is required.
The scabs are supposed to come off in about a week, so I plan to report on the post-procedure condition again at that time.
If you’re curious about how things progress, please be sure to check back! I hope this will be helpful for anyone suffering from rhinitis or mouth breathing.