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’m not sure about 1 tramadol for this pain. I take tramadol for joint pain so I have a tolerance for it. I took liquid Norco and I had to take it every 4 hours on the dot just to tolerate the pain! I think you should ask for a liquid pain reliever because it’s hard to swallow. Be honest with him about your history and concerns. Good luck!
I am 20 years old and got my tonsils removed on 7/10. I have had a really hard time eating anything. The first few days I was in pain but managed to get some mashed potatoes and over cooked Mac n cheese down. At around day 5 I started to just drink and not eat. Literally all the normal foods hurt. Apple sauce burns, really anything with fruit, and everything else gets stuck. Ice chips are the only thing that really feels good. Today is day 6 and I haven’t pooped…I know, tmi, but I’m guessing this is from the hydra codeine. Any tips? This website is great!
This will probably be my last post, since I am done with recovery. I have to say that yes the pain was bad and not eating was frustrating but I did get through it, even though at the time you don’t think you will. I am totally healed up. My only issue still is I can’t sneeze, its still too painful. I had the best doctor who took such good care of me. This website has been very helpful and I can’t thank this creator enough. I am glad I had the surgery, but back on days 6-13 I would have said I wish I hadn’t gotten it done. I no longer snore and breathing and swallowing is so much easier. I feel 100% better. I just have one question, am I going to get colds easier now that my tonsils and adenoids are gone? I read that they are there to help keep you from getting sick so it makes me think that now I will get colds more often. I probably should have asked my doctor at the post-op but I forgot and I was so happy to hear that I didn’t need to come back unless I had issues. I could ask him next week as my 5-year old niece has been referred to him for her throat issues. She has been having bouts of strep and swelling of the tonsils due to bad allergies. I’m not convinced she will need to have her tonsils removed, but I do believe she does need her adenoids removed to help with her bad snoring. We will see what the doctor says in a week. Thanks again for this helpful site! I am so happy I had this and did have the surgery!
Christi- thank you so much for this post! I wish you all the best of health and happiness. If/when you feel up to it, stop back. Newbies can always use a little help from a veteran. Take care!
I am on day six of recovery. I am 36. The pain hasn’t been as bad as I anticipated. I went to work for a half day yesterday and plan to go for about six hours today. I see several comments about the uvula swelling and being a nuisance. My ENT actually recommended removing mine which I did. This area seems to be the source of my swallowing pain at this point. Has anyone else had their uvula removed?
Ryan
Nebraska
I’m 44 and had my tonsils (and adenoids) removed on 7/8/2014. Today is day 5 of recovery. The pain sucks but is not the worst pain I’ve felt, it’s more frustrating because it keeps me from doing normal things like swallowing without wincing and eating and drinking normally. I keep a bottle of tepid water by me, a cup of crushed ice, a cup of juice and a cup filled with slushie. I am determined to stay hydrated! I woke up this morning having wicked dreams and “forgot” I’d had the surgery so tried to cough up and clear out whatever was scratching my throat. Bad idea! 🙁
I also have sleep apnea and the pain meds slow the respiratory system so sleep is in small intermittent spells. I’ve been sleeping on my couch. I need to get a humidifier to see if that helps at all.
My biggest concern right now is the amount of swelling and white “stuff” (for lack of a better term whIle on pain meds) in the back of my throat. I don’t see a whole lot of redness but imagined the swelling would have gone down some by now. Doctor says no anti-inflammatory meds because of bleeding risks.
Should I be concerned about the amount of swelling or is this normal?
Thanks in advance!
Hi Maria. It sounds like you are doing things right! Yes the swelling is common. Icing can help.
Best of luck in your recovery.
Thanks Greg! Today has been tough but I looked through more of your site – a God send byw, and it seems my progress is right on track. Thank you for creating this site! Truly!
Glad I could help. I know it’s rough.