I totally get what you mean about overthinking every weird sensation. I kept poking at the numb spot on my chin for days, convinced it was permanent. For me, the swelling didn’t really come back after I stopped icing, but it lingered longer than I expected—like, a solid week. Did you end up trying warm compresses or just stick with ice? I heard some people switch to heat after a couple days, but I was too nervous to mess with it.
I kept poking at the numb spot on my chin for days, convinced it was permanent.
That weird chin numbness drove me nuts too. I remember reading somewhere that nerves can take weeks to fully recover—ended up checking the spot every morning just to make sure it wasn’t getting worse. As for the heat vs. ice thing, I stuck with ice for about three days, then switched to a warm compress when the swelling plateaued. Honestly, I wasn’t sure it helped much, but it felt comforting. Did your surgeon mention anything specific about when (or if) to try heat? Mine was pretty vague, just said “listen to your body,” which… isn’t super helpful when you’re anxious.
Mine was pretty vague, just said “listen to your body,” which… isn’t super helpful when you’re anxious.
Seriously, what does "listen to your body" even mean when half your face is numb? I did the ice thing religiously, but honestly, after day two it just made my teeth chatter. Warm compress felt better, but I was paranoid it’d make swelling worse. Did you notice any difference in bruising with heat? Mine looked like I lost a boxing match for a week.
Seriously, what does "listen to your body" even mean when half your face is numb?
I totally get what you mean—it’s not exactly helpful advice when you’re feeling like a chipmunk. I did ice for the first 48 hours, then switched to warm compresses too. Honestly, I felt like heat made the bruising fade a bit faster, but it could just be me. Swelling didn’t get worse, but I kept the heat gentle and short—like 10-15 mins at a time. The “boxing match” look is all too real though...
Yeah, “listen to your body” gets weird when you can’t feel half your face—like, what exactly am I supposed to be listening for? I was glued to my ice packs those first two days, but honestly, I was nervous to try heat after. Glad to hear it worked for you and didn’t make things worse. The swelling felt so unpredictable… kind of like it had a mind of its own. I noticed the bruising too, but mine just sort of faded on its own after a week. The chipmunk cheeks are no joke.