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!
I had my tonsils removed November 17th a week ago from today. I was fine at least I thought I was until the pain just started to get worst and worst. I can eat anything at all I try to drink and it hurts so bad to swallow. My ears hurt so bad I want to rip them off. Last night I had a panic attack because I didn’t know what to do with the pain anymore. The bottle of narcs are 3 spoons away from being done. I’m not one who likes to take meds not even an Advil or Tylenol but this pain is so unbareable I can’t take it anymore. Today is thanks giving and I probably won’t be able to enjoy a full meal 🙁 I don’t know what to do
Aw Cynthia- sorry. I know it’s hard.It gets better- I promise. Just be in the present moment. Breath. I know it hurts, but you really must drink. Dehydration is NOT your friend. Are you running a humidifier? That helps. I’d call the clinic and ask for a refill right away. Don’t take no for an answer. I went through the exact same thing. You need it- you’re not a junkie- you’re in pain. Try eating and drinking a half hour after taking the pain meds. Also, I found that sleeping in a recliner was better than laying flat. I’m with you and wish you the best. Hang in there!!!
Cynthia how are you feeling? I had my surgery on the 15th. I found this site a few days after surgery and have been reading posts daily. I sure wish my ENT would’ve sent me to this site! It has really helped me through a few tough days. I feel like nobody knows how I feel. 🙁 I have a pretty high pain tolerance (29ish+++ mamma of 3) but omigosh this recovery has broken me down a few times! I am feeling pretty good today, I hope your Thanksgiving was ok. Don’t worry about food if you still can’t get it down, keep up on the fluids. Cold water is like drinking glass shards so I like it room temperature. Jello is amazing. I’ve never been big on frozen things but lots of people say that popsicles help. My biggest issue now is the ear pain. Puts me into tears! I like to soak in the tub to help get relaxed. I’ve tried the heating pad but chewing gum seems to help the most. And for some reason sleeping upright… STILL. I also still get very tired throughout the day so naps are incredibly helpful. Don’t try to do too much. I use regular Tylenol throughout the day and my prescription for night. Hope this helps! Brandy
I had surgery the on Thursday (11/10 /2016) I had my tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy but I also had a septoplasty… I wish I had never gone through with the surgery. I’m on liquid norco taste nasty as hell!!!! I have had the worse ear pain ever the only thing that helps it is to take a scorching hot bath and layou down tI’ll my ears are under water. I need so excited relief now!!!! I haven’t eaten or drank amlost nothing since surgery and I have lost 6 lbs in 5 days!!!! I can’t take this pain much longer I would never recommend this surgery to anynody!!
I feel the same way. I regret the surgery. I dealt with my tonsils 32 years I may as well have just kept them. I too haven’t eaten and have lost weight. I have had other complications as well resulting in a 3 day stay in the hospital as opposed to an outpatient procedure. This pain is unbearable. I cannot sleep and the liquid oxy and ibuprofen doesn’t even begin to touch the pain. The ibuprofen feels like acid going down every time I take it. I am also hypoglycemic so not eating is causing other complications. I do not recommend this surgery unless it is absolutely necessary.
I had my adenoids and ligual tonsills removed on 11/10/16. I had my vocal cords scrapped n regular tonsills out three years ago. I thought i was going to die then. The pain was very severe. Now this pain is worst due to the removal of adenoids because i cant breath which causes me to breath through my mouth which drys out my throat which already hurts. It feels like knives in my throat. The ear pain is horrible. The first two days i was able to eat while in the hospital but once i came home it begin to get worst. I am 36-year-old and i dont see how a child could go through this. I eat ice cream and take norcos every four hours which i also have to take stool softeners. Hot tea with lemon helps but bananas was horrible it burned. I sleep with my head elevated just to be able to breath at night. Talking is strenuous on my throat so i use a notepad. Praying for all recovery. This is day 5 for me. Last time it took 3 weeks to recover and i was on voice rest. I had try to attend church and school but the pain was to bad afterwards i just stay home. I have a very high tolerance for pain but this is unbearable. Drink plenty of fluids use straws.
They say it’s harder as adults. I believe them now. My best friend’s daughter had the same procedure as me two days later and she is already almost 100%. The ear pain is getting worse daily. I also ate at the hospital at first but they said it was because I was still numb. I cannot eat any ice cream or dairy because it makes the mucus thicker. (Sorry for details) I can barely sip water at this point without choking. If I could go back in time…this is definitely something I would not do again! Good luck in your recovery
I had my adenoids and tonsils removed on the 30th and I am having the same problem with dairy products. I haven’t eaten anything but 2 jello cups since coming home from the hospital and can hardly swallow water. The ear pain makes me not want to swallow at all, and every time I have to I start to cry cause nothing helps the pain. The liquid Tylenol does nothing, and regular Tylenol doesn’t help either. I’m at a loss at what to do. If the pain persists past day 7 when they said it would stop I’m going back because it’s affecting my sleep more so than it already was. I’m right there with ya, if I could go back I never would have had it done!! Hope you’re recovering well
Im 16 years old and just had a tonsillectomy on november 4th. Straight after the procedure and I woke up I was in a lot of pain. I could barely swallow and I didnt drink or eat anything when I got home, maybe 10 sips of water. The next day I was still drinking the same glass of water from the day before. I ate a popsicle. That night I woke up with the most terrible ear pain Ive ever had. I was hysterically crying and didnt know what to do. Every time I eat the pain in my ears and throat gets a million times worst, and that is just with ice cream or jello. Even drinking water causes the most severe pain ever. Today is November 9th and I feel worst. The ear pain is uncontrollable and I even had to buy some extra medication to take. Ive never been in this much pain before.
I just had the surgery on Oct 28th and I’m suffering all the same symptoms. I was doing just fine the first 3 days and now I can not even move my head. The jaw/ear pain is so bad… Every time I try to eat or drink something it hurts so bad that I need to take 2 percocets and have 2 hot water bottles on my neck every six hours. After i take the pills i can eat a soup that has been blended and drink a little water. I’ve been so constipated with the percocet and have not drank much water that I have not gone to the bathroom for 7 days. I had a bleeding episode and had to go back to the Dr. to clean and cauterize the bleeding spot, that was more painful that surgery itself.
I’m hoping to get better soon but as of now I can not even talk or move my jaw. The reflected pain from my throat into my ears are much more painful than the throat itself. I find the only thing that help is the hot water bags. I do breath much better and I think the surgery will fix my problem of sleeping apnea but I would rather have my balls cut out without anesthesia than have this surgery again. Think about before doing this to yourself.
hope everyone gets better soon!