IN A NUTSHELL, NO.

But there is more to it than that.  Having performed many rhinoplasties and having had the procedure myself, I would say I have valuable insight and can speak from a place of personal experience.

In the initial hours after rhinoplasty surgery there is surprisingly no pain at all.  This is because the effects of the local anaesthetic, however, when this wears off one feels a discomfort similar to that of a really bad cold when you have been blowing your nose all day.

In the following 2-3 days after surgery as swelling sets in there is more of a pressure sensation in the middle of the face.

By the 4th and 5th day in my case I felt no discomfort or pressure sensation at all.  What I did notice was that if I walked too quickly or for a long time (more than 30mins) that pressure sensation would come back, and my face swelled up.  By the time the splint came off at 1 week my face felt pretty much normal, even though there was visible swelling.

WHAT CAN I DO TO MINIMISE THE DISCOMFORT?

Resting with your head upright really helped.  Whether that’s sitting upright in a chair or lying down propped up with pillows.

Cold compresses applied to the cheeks and forehead also helped reduce the swelling.  Iced drinks and ice-lollies help massively.  Apart from tasting good, the cold sensation in the mouth would spread to the nose which felt great.

If the discomfort was really bad, paracetamol and ibuprofen settled it very well.

Walking fast or for more than 30mins made the discomfort worse. So for the first 2-4 days it’s important to avoid anything that raises your blood pressure.