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.
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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!
My 8 year old daughter just had her tonsils taken out 8 days ago…She is having the worst ear pain EVER!! What have you guys done to help with this??She was NOT given any pain meds…I have never seen my child in this much pain..Thanks
How long did it last? Brought my 8 year old to the ER yesterday for a steroid shot and different med, but that still hasn’t helped. We’re on day 3 of severe ear pain.
Hi Sarah, My 9 year old is at week 4 after tonsil and adnoid removal and still isn’t 100%. She had the horrible ear pain for three full days then a milder ear pain for another two weeks. She says her throat still feels like it’s burning. And now she has had a cough for the past week. How did your child recover?
Hot and cold compressions on neck and ears help
What kind of doctor doesn’t give a child pain meds post op?? My daughter is on day 4, and I cannot imagine her not having anything to ease the pain! She’s taking Hycet every 4-6 hours, as needed. I can’t imagine what this experience must’ve been like for your daughter, or you 🙁
My son is 8, and his dr did not give him any pain meds, antibiotics, nothing post-op. He’s on day 9 and his ears are still hurting real bad. He is just now starting to not complain about burning every time he drinks. His Dr also put him on soft food. I noticed thrush on his tongue yesterday and the on call nurse called in meds for that. It has been horrible for him. My 5 year old had his done over Thanksgiving week and he was given pain meds, antibiotics and a med to keep him from getting thrush. He was also told to eat normal food, just nothing sharp. By day 6 to 7 he was back in school. They go to the same office but see different E.N.T.S. in that office. Even the on call nurse was shocked my 8 year old didn’t get post-op meds.
I’m 37 got my tonsils out 1,8,17 .. I’m getting earaches real bad 2 weeks later , will they fully go over time cause I don’t think I can handle this for ever
I’m 15 and am still recovering from my tonsillectomy. While it has been quite the journey I would say my ear pain has been the worst. After taking the pain killers it’s okay but 3 hours into the pain killers the ears get to be pretty bad. The warm compress really helps but I haven’t tried the gum bc I’m scared it’ll hurt.
I am 25 and got my tonsils removed on august 4.
Day 1: really nice. I could speak and eat anything, and just felt a small pain on the throat.
Day 2: better than day 1. Almost no pain
Day 3: I started to bleed A LOT. I had to be taken to the emergency room because I was bleeding from my throat so much that i looked like a Zombie from the walking dead. Needed to get stiches because an artery had been cut in the operación
Day 4: pain in the throat and ears, couldnt eat anything nos drunk.
Day 5Terrible pain. Pucked all my medicines. Fainted twice. Uncontrollable shivering.
Day 6: just starting to feel better. Could finally eat something but pain in the ears is the worse.
I am 19 and had gotten my tonsils out on the exact same day as you. This means we are both on the same day of recovery, however, it seems that our recovery is very different.
Day 1: I could not speak, not a lot of pain but could only drink liquids and threw up twice.
Day 2-3: Could eat things like pudding and ice cream, still little pain and could not talk
Day 4-5: Started to talk, could eat soft food and throat pain started to increase
Day 5-7: My neck and throat are swollen and my ear has a pain that feels like someone is stabbing me. Everytime I swallow I get the stabbing pain. My neck is extremely uncomfortable, no matter what position it’s in.
How was it after the 6th day? Im on mine and i swear i cant deal with this pain. Its worse than an ovarian cyst bursting ?. When did you properly recover?
My pain did not decrease until day 10. My meds had to be changed so I am now on Toradol which has helped so much!!! I have gone through 4 bags of crushed ice since my surgery on 11.27.17. I keep my throat hydrated ALL day long even while I sleep! The moment you let any part of your tongue/throat dry up you are screwed. I was barely able to eat and talk on day 10. I hope you are feeling better.
I’m 21 and had my tonsils and adenoids removed on August 3rd 2017. I had them removed because of severe tonsilittis.
The doctors prescribed be endone and the surgeon did tell me that it could hurt for up to 2-3 weeks. He also mentioned about the ear aches.
The first night I spent in hospital after the surgery wasn’t to bad apart from not being able to eat much and a wrestles nights sleep!
But from then to now my ears are always so sore once the pain relief wears off. I’ve been taking codeine because I don’t want to take endone threw out the day!
Also swallowing my own saliva is also very painful.
I’ve been surviving by staying hydrated by always drinking iced water it’s quite soothing on the throat and easy to get down. My diet has been awful! Mostly been eating jelly for breakfast just so I don’t take medication on an empty stomach. Also noodles and soup aren’t to bad to get down if you’re looking for some advice !
I also have those cup of soup things that you mix with boiling water (obviosuly let it cool down) and I’ve been making ham and cheese toasties then dipping them in the soup to soften the toast ! I also tried eating lasagne on about the 4th night which wasn’t to bad aslong as it is soft enough and not to hot !
I’ve been sleeping with a bucket beside my bed to spit in because swallowing it isn’t an option which is ridiculous but people who have had the surgery will understand !
Also putting an ice pack around your neck really does do wonders ! Sometimes it can stop my ear aches in a matter of minutes but they come back later.
I’ll be honest I didn’t expect it to be this worse but it’s gotta be close to the worst pain I’ve experienced !
Being on my 6th day after surgery I just want it to end so I can eat a kebab and talk normally and have a decent sleep ! Haha
Glad to see other people are finding it difficult and not just myself.
Help! my ear pain is more pressure. My ear pressure started on day 2. I also am getting some drainage. Is this normal. I too would like to sleep again and, talk normal. But what I miss most is a nice juicy steak. I got mine out on Sept 7, 2017
Mine sounds just like yours. I am on day 7 of recovery but struggling to swallow as it hurts my ears to much, so im not having many fluids at all unless im taking medication. The pain relief does nothing for my ears at all, just a hot water bottle soothes the pain. I cant wait to talk and eat and just be happy again. This has 100% got to be the worse pain ever.