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, I am on day 7 after having a tonsillectomy. It’s been by far the worst pain I’ve ever had. I have lost 14 pounds already due to hardly being able to eat. I have had the worst taste in my mouth and have to brush my teeth and gargle water at least 4 times a day due to the scabs. I also had to be re-admitted to hospital yesterday due to coughing up lumps of blood. I panicked a lot – but if this happens to you it’s just an infection which is treated by anti-biotics. My ears have been popping and aching also but I find an ice pack under the ear / throat helps a lot! Hope you all get better soon!
Hi my name is Lien and I am on day 7 of having a tonsillectomy. I definitely am experiencing the lovely ear pain. It’s triggered because the scabs are gone from the back of the throat. I was able to suck on ice to get rid of the pain but that isn’t working very well. I’ve been doing an ice pack on my throat to help with the pain. I’ll try putting a heated rice bag behind by neck. I borrowed a warm mist humidifier hoping that’d help with the dryness in my throat but hasn’t yet. I pray that all of your recoveries turn the corner and the ear pain diminshes.
Hey Guys, My name is Tim, 23, from Arlington MA. I got my surgery done June 10th. The first few days sucked, and I ate nothing. I drank water, that was it. Day 3 I was able to choke down a smoothie which hurt like hell, but the Oxycodone helps with the pain. Now, Day 4 and today weren’t that bad. I was on my pain meds, and I was eating waffles with peanut butter. I headed off to bed, and then all of a sudden, my left ear feels like someone is grinding an icepick around inside it. It came out of nowhere. Now, the doc said that the pain should be like at a 5 for the first few days, and then ramp up to like a 9 until day 12. My throat doesn’t really hurt that much. It’s just my ear. Any idea why that is?
I think it’s because your throat has swelled up first – usually this is the second symptom that comes. Unfortunately your throat will start to become more painful. I use an ice pack under my ear and it really helps soothe the pain! Hope you feel better soon!
Hi, my name is Maicy. I am currently 15 years old. I had my tonsils and adenoids removed on the 2nd of June. The doctor that performed my surgery prescribed Hydrocodone, Tylenol, and Ibuprofen. I finished 1 bottle of the Hydrocodone within a few days, I’m pretty sure. I also finished the 2nd bottle in a few days as well. I probably only have about 1 or 2 little cup fulls of it left, which I’m saving in case pain happens. My doctor wouldn’t prescribe me anymore Hydrocodone since I’m suppose to be off of it within a week. I’m currently on day 12 of my recovery, so in 2 days I will reach the 2 week mark of recovery. At this moment I am taking just Ibuprofen, which I’m soon to be out of, probably by tonight! Haha. I only take one dose of it, and that’s right before I go to bed. Out of this entire recovery process, I’ve mostly ate just popsicles. I’ve tried mashed potatoes, which I didn’t like, I think it was because I let them cool down longer than I should have. I’ve tried applesauce, which I didn’t like either. At the beginning, I did eat Jello. It went down fine! I’ve tried to eat it now, but I get a couple bites into it, and I don’t want to eat it anymore. I’ve tried chocolate ice cream, I ate a couple bites, and didn’t want it. Believe it or not, I felt like it stung my throat! I’ve also tried Vanilla pudding, it didn’t last long, I stopped eating it after a few bites as well. I tried Mac and Cheese, one bite and I was done because I don’t like eating leftovers. I have tried scrambled eggs, I didn’t eat all of it, but it went down well. I have tried tuna noodle, which I wouldn’t let it cool down for a long period of time. I feel like it hurt my throat because the noodles got a little hard! I’ve drank nothing but ice cold water, cold bottled of water, Gatorade, and at times I drank Berry Propel. I have been drinking slushies that have flavors in them, such as Mountain Dew. I saw my doctor on the 13th of June, and I have to wait a few weeks before I can start drinking pop. Poor me. Before I go to bed, I take almost 15 ml of Berry Ibuprofen. I also grab 3 ice packs. I put 1 behind my neck, and the other 2 on both of my ears. I also grab a cold water bottle to put on the table, just in case, but I’ve never woken up to drink it! The mornings are horrible because I wake up with a large amount of saliva in my mouth. But this morning I didn’t, and it was such a relief. One morning I woke up to spit the saliva in the bathroom sink, and I threw up 3 times. It was a little amount each time, and I think I might of threw up some scabs even. Out of this entire recovery process, I’ve thrown up 4 times. The first time was when I was getting wheel chaired out of the hospital, and I threw up a puddle of blood, that had blood clots in it, I’m pretty sure! The lovely nurse said that it was my reaction from the anesthesia, and I threw up in front of a waiting room! A little embarrassing, I know! Having my tonsils and adenoids removed was my first surgery ever! It wasn’t that bad, although they had to give me the anesthesia in the surgery room before they could put the IV in my hand, because I’m very afraid of needles, and I will pass out! Lol. This ear pain is horrible, I experience it whenever I swallow something to drink or to eat. It lasts for about 30 seconds, I believe. Does anyone know how to get rid of the ear pain? My doctor said that almost all my scabs are off on the right side of my throat, and the left side is still working on removing the scabs. I haven’t experienced any bleeding throughout this process, and I’m praying that I don’t at all! That’s my biggest fear at the moment. I’m really looking forward to being able to eat solid foods again and being able to drink pop as well. I’m just wishing it would hurry along! I haven’t left my house that much. Other than to go to my doctor appointment that I had on the 13th of June, and to my local gas station to get a Mountain Dew slushie. I’ve had 3 of them since the 13th of June! I’m sorry that this post is so long, but I just wanted to go into details about my recovery process! Does anyone think that it would be a good idea or a bad idea to go to a theme park anytime soon? Let me know if I would be fine going or if I should hold back on it for awhile. Thank you, Maicy! 🙂
Hello, My name is Tamara from Atlanta GA I just had surgery on 6-28-16 and my ear is ringing something awful. I try to hold it an apply pressure when I am swallowing. I am trying to eat oatmeal, mac and cheese, chicken noodle soup but I am not hungry as I know it hurts to swallow. I have done an awful job staying hydrated because I don’t want to swallow. I keep a bottle near my bed because I have to spit up tons of salvia. This is the worst pain ever, all I can do is cry and say why did I have this surgery but it was due to tonsil stones forming constantly. I pray that everyone in this thread heals well. I can ‘t wait until the day I can eat Hibachi. It is the July 4th weekend which makes it more depressing.
Hi guys I’m Louise just reading all your coments, crikey I know what your all going threw, I had mine removed June 3rd and don’t I know it, every day has been hell. And like you say the morning when you wake up I dread it especially knowing that I have to try and eat at least something. I love food buts it’s just so painful never known anything like it, and my ears the pain won’t go away it makes me cry, I thought it was me just being a baby. But we are all in the same boat, I hope soon we will wake up feeling okay fingers crossed.