For patients in South Africa

Nose and breathing treatments in Turkey from South Africa

If you struggle to breathe through your nose, snore, or wake with a dry mouth, the cause may sit in the nose, the back of the nose or the throat. This page explains the nose and breathing treatments we arrange in İzmir, Turkey, for patients travelling from South Africa, and links to a South African guide for each. The general overview is on our breathing treatments page, and the wider picture is in our ENT surgery guide.

Treatments in this group

Each link goes to the South African guide for that treatment.

• Turbinate reduction (conchaplasty) — reduces enlarged turbinates, the ridges of tissue inside the nose, to improve airflow
• Septorhinoplasty — corrects a bent septum and reshapes the nose in one operation
• Rhinoplasty — reshapes the nose for appearance, breathing, or both
• Adenoidectomy — removes enlarged or repeatedly infected adenoids at the back of the nose
• Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty — removes or tightens soft tissue at the back of the throat
• Laryngoscopy — a camera examination of the throat and voice box

If snoring is your main concern, read the snoring and sleep apnoea guide as well.

Why the cause matters

A blocked nose can come from enlarged turbinates, a bent septum, enlarged adenoids, allergy or long-standing sinus problems, and several of these can occur together. Surgery on the wrong structure will not help, so the specialist will look inside the nose and may ask for a scan before recommending anything.

Some patients need more than one step. Turbinate reduction, for example, can be done on its own or alongside surgery on the septum when that also needs correcting. The surgeon decides what is sensible in one operation, based on your anatomy and health, not on how far you have travelled.

What to send before you travel

• A description of your symptoms: which side is blocked, whether you snore, and how it affects your sleep
• Any scans, allergy test results or letters from your doctor at home
• Details of previous nose or sinus surgery
• A list of your medicines, including nasal sprays

Laryngoscopy is mainly an examination. A test alone rarely justifies the trip from South Africa unless it is combined with treatment that is already planned.

Planning the trip from South Africa

• Flights: direct flights from Johannesburg and Cape Town to Istanbul take around ten hours, followed by a short domestic flight to İzmir
• Visa: South Africans apply for an e-Visa online before travelling; see the e-Visa guide
• How long to stay: most patients are fit to fly three to five days after turbinate reduction and two to three days after adenoidectomy, subject to the surgeon’s approval; avoid blowing your nose while the inside heals
• Fitness to fly: the surgeon decides when you are fit for the long flight home, so book a return ticket you can change
• Time difference: İzmir is one hour ahead of South Africa, which makes follow-up calls easy
• Cover: South African medical schemes generally do not cover elective treatment abroad, so check with your scheme first, and standard travel insurance usually excludes planned treatment abroad

Follow-up at home

Ask for a written operation report and any scans to take home, and share them with your GP or an ENT specialist in South Africa. Recovery inside the nose continues for several weeks, so plan follow-up before you travel.

Follow-up continues by message and video call with the same team. Our treatment guarantee covers medical complications and clinically necessary revisions for one year from treatment; accepted claims are treated in İzmir at no charge, though flights and accommodation are your own. See clinic facts and our complaints page.

What we will not do

We will not recommend an operation before the cause of your breathing problem is clear, we will not add procedures you do not need because you have travelled far, and we will not promise that surgery will make your breathing perfect.

Frequently asked questions

What causes a blocked nose that does not clear?

Common causes include enlarged turbinates, a bent septum, enlarged adenoids, allergy and long-standing sinus problems, often in combination. An ENT specialist examines you to find out which applies.

Can turbinate reduction be done together with septum surgery?

Yes. Turbinate reduction can be done on its own or alongside surgery on the septum when that also needs correcting. The surgeon decides what is sensible in one operation.

How long should I stay in Turkey for nose and breathing surgery?

It depends on the operation. Most patients are fit to fly three to five days after turbinate reduction and two to three days after adenoidectomy, subject to the surgeon’s approval.

What decides the cost of breathing treatments?

The procedure, whether scans or tests are needed first, whether operations are combined, how long you stay and what the package includes. A firm figure is only possible after an assessment.

Will my medical aid cover breathing surgery in Turkey?

South African medical schemes generally do not cover elective treatment abroad, and standard travel insurance usually excludes planned treatment abroad. Check with both before you book.

Start with a free online consultation. Planning the trip? Read the guide for South African patients and the e-Visa guide.