Pain after tonsillectomy is inevitable. Tips for easier tonsillectomy recovery from patients who have been through it. What to eat, dealing with scabs and bleeding, managing pain, and shortening recovery time.
Tonsillectomy and its subsequent recovery is no picnic, especially for an adult. Welcome to Tonsillectomy Recovery Resources. Whether you’re considering, planning, or recovering from the procedure, you’ll find all the information you will need to make the best decision about tonsil surgery. You’ll also learn how to get the best care after tonsillectomy. I’ll also help you prepare for your tonsillectomy by laying out simple steps that will make the day of surgery easier and help you to be more comfortable as you recover.
Together we are stronger. Share your experience. Read about why I got my tonsils out and what I learned
Top 10 Tonsillectomy Recovery Tips
Though I’ve added to the initial 10, these are my top tips for anyone preparing for, or recovering from tonsillectomy surgery:
- Drink cold fluids
- Continue to drink cold fluids
- Drink more cold fluids! This is perhaps the single most important tip to make life easier while speeding up your recovery period.
- Get a good cool air humidifier and run it all the time in the room you’re in. Consider having more than one for the primary rooms you’ll be spending time in. To monitor humidity levels pick up one of these. Enter the code: TONSIL for a 25% discount! Humidity Station
- Don’t worry about sleep. Forget the normal time convention. Sleep for short intervals, preferably in a recliner. Sleep can be your worst enemy. Sleeping a few hours in a bed usually results in a dry throat that hurts like crazy. It can take almost an hour to get the pain back under control.
- Keep a written log of your medications as you take them. It’s easy to forget what you’ve taken and when. If you would have problems that require help from the doctor, it can come in handy.
- Read about others’ experiences and share your own. (Check out the tonsillectomy forum)
- Plan ahead! Stock up on items you’ll need ahead of time.
- Take something with your pain medicine. Carnation Instant Breakfast or Ensure will at least provide a base in your stomach and reduce nausea.
- Drink ice cold liquids!
A few bonus tips- read on>>>>
A few bonus tips for a better recovery:
- Plan some minor events. Even a simple event like a walk or a bath can take your mind off the discomfort and help your mindset during tonsillectomy recovery
- Chew sugarless gum. When pain gets referred to the ears, and it often does, chewing gum can ease the ear pain. It also keeps the swallowing process active, which many believe aids in tonsillectomy recovery. A warm compress on the area can also relieve ear pain.
- Ice! Whether it’s a high-tech ice bag or a bag of frozen peas, applying ice directly to the throat and neck is a great way to reduce inflammation and take the edge off of break-through pain. (thanks Kate!)
- Those are my top tonsillectomy tips. For a detailed daily checklist, check out my upcoming book.
I’ve put together a collection of items that I think would be helpful, if not essential, to making tonsillectomy recovery a little more pleasant. Check out the General Store.
Some Extra Tips – After Tonsils are Removed:
- It’s REALLY important that you drink. I know it’s almost impossible at times, but you must. A trick I used was to use Cloraseptic (sp?) numbing spray. (There’s also a lollipop your doc or pharmacist might know of)- to numb the throat a bit. Then I’d take the medicine. Once the meds kicked in (1/2 hour?), then I’d try to eat. My favorite foods at first were Jell-o and creamed soups. (sweet potato or broccoli by V-8 were good)
- You must keep drinking. It helps your throat heal and keeps you hydrated. One reader, a nurse, said she went to an emergency room and demanded IV fluids. Wow! Maybe not such a bad idea!
About the author
My name is Greg Tooke and I’m a tonsillectomy patient myself. For most of my life I lived with huge tonsils with craters that the Ear Nose and Throat doctor called, “cryptic.” I got tonsillitis and strep throat several times every year. I snored at night and woke suddenly, catching my breath. Like many people, I had sleep apnea and didn’t even know it. Speaking of breath, tonsil stones were making my breath smell awful at times. I’d heard horror stories about adult tonsillectomy , tonsils that grow back, bleeding, excruciating pain, and even death. I was afraid.
Finally, with the advice of my doctor and a resolve to improve the quality of my life, I scheduled my tonsillectomy for the day after Thanksgiving. (a last meal??) You can read all about my tonsillectomy story in the pages that follow.
Greg
I am on Day 4 of Post-Op. I am doing very well. I am not having break through pain. I think what has helped is I set my alarm for every 4 hrs to assess any pain level. I take 1 hyrdrocodone (could take 2). In addition, I am constantly hydrating. So far the whole experience hasn’t been the worse. Just resting and waiting to get back to normal.
Can someone describe the feeling of scabs falling off so I know when it happens?
When the scabs start to fall off you generally have more pain. The best thing you can do is chew gum and drink plenty of fluids. Imagine picking at a dry scab on your arm that hasn’t fully healed. Keeping it moist and hydrated will help it heal and allow the scab to come off in its own time. The gum helps you keep swallowing, moving your mouth, and will relieve ear pain if you get it.
Mine have felt like hard cotton in the back of my throat when I swallow. I have been Gently gargling warm salt water and I feel like it gets out the loose scabs and make me feel SO much better! 🙂
Hi, I am lyric
I am a 19 year old in the navy. I am going to get my tonsils out due to them being 4+ in size sleep apnea trouble brething during our maditory exersice, you know the normal. the problem is I am terrfifed of the pain I mean I am by myslef I am sure my shipmates will help me out some. but i would like suggestions on what you guys think is the best plan for my recovery. I keep backing out on the surgery due to my fear but it is something I need to do for my job and well being I guess.
If you are reluctant to have the surgery, then maybe consider calling your ENT and ask about laser tonsillectomies and whether that is an option for you. I know it doesn’t usually remove the tonsil but makes them smaller and has a quicker recovery time.
Hey Lyric,
I got my tonsils taken out in 2012 and it was a really tough experience. But, I haven’t regretted it for even one day. My life is so much better without those gigantic tonsils causing mischief and pain at the back of my throat.
Being prepared is absolutely key to a better experience.
Follow the instructions Greg has documented, because they help a lot!
Consider buying Ensure Protein , I had a lot of trouble getting down enough calories during my recovery, in fact I lost 10lbs. Keep a good record of your medication, don’t panic when the pain gets bad, use this website and blog as a support system, don’t forget to stock up on fluids and gum (you will absolutely need it), and having a humidifier will save your life! I didn’t have a humidifier but used a cheap hot pot to keep moisture in the air and it totally worked.
It isn’t a fun experience, but the results are totally worth it and reading through this website will help you be prepared for the experience. You can do it!
Good luck and thank you for your service to our country!
Hi Ashley,
Im on day 8/7 (First surgery of the day at 5 am so I count the day of). Days 3, 6-12 tend to be the worst. For me day 3 was excruciating and day four was not much better. Day 5 was a lot better but the pain was still there so. THE FOOD THING THOUGH!! You need to find a way of eating something, I can only eat quarter teaspoonfuls of applesauce a minute. Your pain medications are most likely narcos (Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen, etc) these can cause nausea, bloody diarrhea and urine if you do not stay hydrated and have something in your stomach. Eating also helps give you energy to stay awake more. Best of luck on your recovery.
Hi David! Sorry just saw this!! Thanks for your tips! Eating has been really tough! I still can’t get much in and I’m on day 13! It has been taking a half hour for mashed potatoes mixed with a scramble egg ( 1/2 cup of food) ..(I know weird combo but actually yummy and I wanted to get protein in) Pain still gets bad at night (9) but Pain meds are definitely helping! Are you able to eat yet? I’m hoping to eat at some point! I never know you could continue to function with such a little amount of food! Lol!
Hi Ashley,
Sounds like you’re coming along ok. I did not eat food for two weeks. I ate Popsicles and drank Gatorade. Hang in there! Feel better!
Thanks Kitty! I have been drinking a ton of water and coconut water. Food is hard but I’m trying to get something in. Its usually mashed potatoes and takes about a half hour for a half a cup haha! Oh well 🙂 Fingers crossed it keeps going well!