A Medical Necessity for Rhinoplasty

Many people don't realize that a rhinoplasty may have foundations in medical necessity. For some people, this is a way to rid themselves of breathing problems, birth defects or even to correct an injury. In fact some people can even count on their medical insurance to pay for part of all of the procedure. Here are just a examples of medical necessity.

Breathing Problems

It can be frustrating and scary to feel like you can't breathe. For some people, the way the nose is formed and how all of the parts are put together makes it difficult to get in those full breaths of air. Experiencing these symptoms at nighttime is common and part of the reason that people begin to express concern to their physician.

From there, the individual is usually set to an ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat doctor) that looks more closely at the case and the reason for difficulty breathing. At this point it can be determined that a rhinoplasty is necessary to provide the patient with a solution.

Birth Defects

A person can be born with issues that end up requiring a rhinoplasty. Because the growth of this area of the face is usually completed by the middle to late teens, the work is usually put off until a person is older. In this case, it is up the insurance company what coverage, if any, will be provided.

This is a problem that may have been monitored continually by not only the pediatrician but also an ENT physician as well as a plastic surgeon. Progress and changes are monitored so that when the child is older it will be clear what type of procedure should take place.

Correcting an Injury

Whether it happened out on the softball field or an a work related incident, there are all types of ways to break your nose. After is happens you or your physician may make an attempt to correct it and get the nose back on the right track. When this doesn't happen it may be up to a cosmetic surgeon to make an adjustment and perform a rhinoplasty. This is another situation in which an insurance company may or not pay for the work to be done. It is important to research first before going ahead with the operation.

There are also individuals who look to this procedure as a purely cosmetic fix or adjustment to the face. In this case, there is no insurance coverage and a person is required to pay for the entire cost themselves. Just like any other plastic surgery a patient can come in with an idea of what type of change they would like to see and the physician will let them know how it can be achieved.