Although swallowing will be very painful, it is important to encourage the patient to keep drinking and swallowing despite the pain, as dehydration and stiffening of the throat muscles only worsens the discomfort. Take pain medication as directed, regularly.
Most adults have a lot of throat pain for 1 to 2 weeks or longer. The pain may get worse before it gets better. The pain in your throat can also make your ears hurt. You may have good days and bad days.
Try to avoid coughing, sneezing, clearing the throat or blowing the nose vigorously for two weeks.
Chew Ice Constantly
Ice is one of the best things to have during a tonsillectomy recovery. Ice keeps the incision site moist during recovery and this is very important for speedy healing. The cold temperature of ice also helps to numb pain and reduce swelling.
Why is my child drooling after tonsillectomy? Many children will drool saliva after surgery instead of swallowing it. This is because swallowing is painful. This is normal and will go away as throat pain lessens.
Throat pain builds up for the first few days and is usually at its the worst around the fifth day after surgery. Pain and discomfort will usually then ease until the seventh or ninth day after surgery when some of the scab covering the tonsillectomy site falls off. After this there is a steady reduction in pain.
The pain may be the worst for 3-4 days after surgery. One to two weeks after surgery, pain may worsen because the scabs are falling off. It is important to control your child's pain after surgery. This helps your child drink and eat.
Some patients find that small sips of ginger ale or a cola drink may help to relieve nausea. Small portions of bananas, applesauce, moistened graham crackers or soda crackers may be helpful prior to taking medications. You may wish to avoid acidic products such as orange juice.
Avoid acidic, spicy, hard or crunchy foods that may cause pain or bleeding. Rest. Bed rest is important for several days after surgery, and strenuous activities — such as running and bike riding — should be avoided for two weeks after surgery.
It is the surgical removal of the tonsils (two structures at the back of the throat). Your throat is likely to be sore for up to two weeks after your operation, though you should still be able to talk. The first week may be the most painful – this is normal.
Hydrate: the cooler the better. The more cold liquids your child drinks after surgery, the better their throat will feel and the more they will stay hydrated. We recommend milk, juice, water, or Gatorade until their throat is fully healed. Hot liquids can worsen the throat swelling and pain.
You will not feel back to normal until 14-18 days post-operatively. Your throat will still feel tight and a little achy in the 3rd and 4th weeks with yawning.
Avoid hot fluids and acidic or citrus fluids (orange, lemon, pineapple and tomato juice) as these may sting your child's throat. Regular pain-relief medication will make your child more comfortable and able to swallow fluids more easily.
The pain was evaluated using visual analogue scale (VAS) on a scale of 0–10, with 0 representing no pain at all and 10 worst possible pain. Postoperative pain was consider mild if EVA ranges between 0.00 and 2.99; moderate when ranges between 3.00 and 6.99, and severe pain when it was greater than 7.00.
You may experience an increase in pain around day 4 or 5 after your tonsillectomy. This can be psychologically difficult because you think that you should be feeling better by this time, and actually you may feel a little worse.
Conclusions: Intraoperative application of cold water after tonsillectomy significantly reduced postoperative pain. We recommend cooling the tonsillar fossa and pharyngeal mucosa with cold water during tonsillectomy to easily and effectively reduce post-tonsillectomy pain.
Teeth may be brushed after the first day. Tub bath or shower may be taken after the second day and hair may be washed after the second day. Avoid becoming overheated or fatigued for a period of two weeks.
You can brush your teeth after the first night. You may have bad smelling breath as you heal. Avoid mouthwash for 1 week. You may gargle gently with a solution made of 1 teaspoon of baking soda mixed with 250 ml (1 cup) of water.
You should rest at home for the first 48 hours. Activity may increase as strength returns. Generally, you may return to work approximately 10 days following a tonsillectomy, and about 3 days after an adenoidectomy. You should avoid vigorous activity for 14 days after surgery.
Your child may have bad breath, “stuffy nose” and drainage for 7 to 10 days after surgery. This is normal and will go away as he or she heals. Your child may have ear pain up to a week after surgery and it may be worse at night. This is normal and is coming from the tonsil area.
Your child will need pain medication for up to two weeks and their pain may get worse before it gets better. The 4th or 5th day after the surgery is a common time for the pain to get temporarily worse. Signs of pain in younger children may be crying more often, or refusal to eat or drink.
How long do tonsillectomy scabs last? Most scabs only last 5-10 days. Then, they naturally flake off. Tonsillectomy scabs may last longer on larger wounds created when large tonsils are removed.
The amount of discomfort usually lessens, then may increase again around day 7-9 after surgery, as some of the whitish tissue covering the tonsillectomy site falls off. After this, there is generally steady improvement with less discomfort.
It can result in dysphagia or the feeling of something stuck at the back of the throat, a sensation that can be worrisome to patients. Oedema typically resolves spontaneously within a few days; however, oral steroids may be required in severe cases.