After tonsillectomy surgery, patients have plenty of unpleasant side effects to deal with. Swelling of the uvula, tongue, and throat are usually the first hurdle adults have to deal with post tonsillectomy. Swallowing and breathing can be difficult. This isn’t too surprising, especially considering all that the throat has been through. Icing and gargling with ice water can help reduce this swelling, as can a steroidal treatment. The next problem after tonsillectomy, usually a day or so post-op, is pain in the throat area. Again, no big surprise. Icing is also a good way to treat, as are narcotic pain killers and/or over the counter pain medications. Topical analgesics like throat sprays can also offer some relief.
What surprises many is a phenomena occurring several days into their tonsillectomy recovery- ear pain.
Post Tonsillectomy Ear Pain – Cause and Treatment
Cause
Literally thousands of patients sharing their experiences on this website have commented that their ears hurt after tonsillectomy. Ear pain after tonsillectomy is probably the second or third most common side effect that patients experience- second only to pain and swelling. But why does this happen? There was no scalpel or hot knife near the ears, so why should they feel like they’re being stabbed? The cause of ear pain post tonsillectomy starts at the throat and radiates to the ears. This is called a referred pain. Take a look at the attached diagram and note the lingual nerve. It’s directly connected to the ears and throat.
Treatments and Home Remedies
This referred pain can be quite severe. Often prescribed pain medications do not seem to relieve the ear pain that many experience after tonsillectomy. In addition to the pain medicines patients are taking, there are two home remedies that usually can provide some relief. The first of which is chewing gum. In light of the unpleasant side effect of have sugary residue in and around the throat, most tonsillectomy patients prefer a sugar -free gum. A mint flavor can also feel cooling. Exactly why chewing gum relieves ear pain is hard to say. Certainly activating the muscles around the ears and jaw may help, but more likely, like yawning, gum chewing releases pressure from the ear area.
The second remedy for ear pain after tonsillectomy is applying a heating pad or warm compress to the affected area. Again, the reason for its effectiveness is not entirely clear but most patients describe a relaxing comfort from applying a wet, warm towel or electric heating pad to the affected area. To reduce inflammation, alternate between warm and cold compresses.
-Greg My short bio
Have you found a trick for taking the edge off of ear pain, especially after tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy? Please share it in the comments section below. Thank you!
Hi all,
On day 3 of recovery and boy do I wish I found these threads BEFORE I went through with the surgery. But then I might not have done it, so I suppose it’s a blessing in disguise? We shall see.
I’m 22 y/o and I had excruciating throat pain and a swollen uvula blocking my throat –making it impossible to swallow or speak– since day one. I started reading a bunch of recovery stories and prepared myself for a week of this horrible pain when swallowing (literally feels like I’m swallowing knives) but no one mentioned the ear pain! It has kicked in today and it has been far from pleasant. The combination of symptoms has made this the most painful experience of my life, hands down. However, I find that alternating between hot and cold compresses on the ears do give some relief. Still seeking relief on the swollen uvula as swallowing sips of water hasn’t helped much and is extremely painful 🙁
Hopefully I can post a positive update in a few weeks. Thanks for sharing your stories, wishing everyone a speedy recovery!
Hi Christina, I am about the same age as you–I turn 21 on Feb 4–and although I know everyone is different, I was hoping you could give me some sort of update as to how you are feeling now, how you felt after a week/a month…I am scheduled to travel from the US to England in a month, and I’m scared after reading through these posts.
I really did need the surgery, my tonsils were so big I couldn’t breathe or sleep and I was waking myself up snoring (and not that I can deny this being vain, but I couldn’t stand to sound like a 12 year old girl anymore with that nasal thing I had going on).
So far, although the pain IS terrible, I don’t know that I could say I wouldn’t have the surgery again; I’m really just hoping this was all worth it. I am currently on day 5 counting the morning I had the surgery…
Just finished day 6 of my recovery. I thought I was doing great. Pain for sure when swallowing but not much else aside from that. It improved around day 3 to be a bit less. Have barely touched my pain meds after day 2. Today though, I was leaning over and watching TV for ten minutes. Then after that, I had intense ear pain every time I swallow. It’s crazy. How long before it goes away?
I’m post tonsillectomy day 6, I’m 40 years old and this is by far the worst recovery I have ever went through. My ENT gave me off work til tomorrow! I still can’t drink or talk plain and I’m a nurse that talks on the phone all day! I’m almost out of pain meds given 20 tabs. This is crazy!!! Is anyone else coughing up copious amounts of yellow “snot like” drainage??
Hang in there . The ear pain will go away. I used a heat pack to help with pain and RX to help with the ear. I kept Ice packs around my throat from day 1 until day 8. It helped a lot with the pain and I lived on ice cups and cold bits of ice cream . It’s hard but you will get thru this. I am 52 and had this and it is hard but I believe the ice packs around my throat 24/7 helps . My God Bless you thru this ???
I’m a 33yr old female and just had my tonsils and adenoids removed on 8-16-16. I knew that I would be in pain but no one can prepare you for the torture that you endure during recovery. My doctor said the surgery went wonderfully! However when I woke in recovery I was screaming. 2 shots of dilaudid followed by 2 shots of morphine then Zofran and Phenergan and I was then able to have a bite of ice. I was kept in the hospital until Sunday to monitor my breathing. Thank God I was kept because the pain was unreal. I couldn’t breathe or swallow and was up literally all night. I have gastritis and so a lot of pain meds really mess with my stomach. I was released Sunday evening and by Monday morning I was at the ER in severe ear and throat pain. They gave me liquid vicodin and sent me on my way. I have been battling this ear pain since! Nothing helps and I am petrified to try heat because the heat brings blood to the area. Had I known what this would be like I would have kept my enormous tonsils!