Recovery After Tonsillectomy: What to Expect

A tonsillectomy is a surgical procedure that removes the tonsils. The tonsils can often become infected. In fact, tonsillitis is a fairly common illness among children. The tonsils are glands that fight infections with white blood cells, though they are prone to developing infections themselves. The tonsils sit at the back of your throat, and issues such as swallowing, sore throat, and bad breath can often be reasons to remove them.

This article explains what a tonsillectomy is, why a person might have one, and what to expect during the recovery process. If you need a tonsillectomy, knowing what recovery is like and preparing for it can help make the process smoother.

According to the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation, a tonsillectomy is an operation that removes your tonsils and sometimes your adenoids at the same time.

The adenoids are located behind the nose at the roof of the mouth, and the tonsils are located on either side of the throat. Both of these glands fight infections and help the immune system by trapping harmful bacteria that enter through the mouth and nose.

An illness called tonsillitis, which occurs most often in children,

can affect these glands. Bacterial and viral infections can lead to tonsillitis, and if these infections recur, a doctor may suggest a tonsillectomy. Another reason Trusted Source PubMed Central Highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health Go to source for a tonsillectomy is sleep disordered breathing, or sleep apnea.

Tonsillitis is an infection of the tonsils. It tends to affect children, though adults can also get it. Doctors will usually treat bacterial causes with medications called antibiotics. If the cause is a virus, however, it may get better on its own without treatment.

Some common symptoms include:

• a sore throat
• difficulty swallowing
• a fever
• a headache
• nausea
• fatigue
• bad breath

However, more severe symptoms include:

• white, pus filled spots at the back of the throat
• painful, swollen glands in the neck that feel like lumps
• difficulty breathing

Tonsillitis usually lasts less than a week, but you should seek medical advice if the symptoms continue to linger. If you or your child repeatedly gets tonsillitis, or if the symptoms of a bacterial infection do not get better with antibiotics, evaluation for a tonsillectomy may be necessary.

If you have difficulty breathing alongside the symptoms above, you need immediate medical care.

Learn more about tonsillitis here.

Tonsillectomies are commonly performed Trusted Source PubMed Central Highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health Go to source to fix sleep disordered breathing issues and recurrent throat infections such as tonsillitis.

There is specific guidance, called the Paradise criteria, for identifying people who will benefit from the procedure. Specifically, to be considered for a tonsillectomy, you must have had “at least seven [sore throat] episodes in the previous year, at least five episodes in each of the previous 2 years, or at least three episodes in each of the previous 3 years”.

Certain factors can lower these thresholds, such as excessive school absences for children.

You do not need your tonsils, though they do help fight bacteria and infections that enter through the nose and mouth. Having them removed reduces the risk of tonsillitis and helps with persistent issues such as snoring or difficulty swallowing.

Tonsillitis is more common in children than adults, so doctors usually perform tonsillectomies in children. However, issues such as sleep apnea, recurrent throat infections, and snoring can also mean that adults may be considered for a tonsillectomy.

Additionally, many children get their tonsils removed for sleep apnea rather than tonsillitis. A tonsillectomy is more likely to cure obstructive sleep apnea in children than in adults.

Ask a doctor whether or not the number of throat infections or the severity of other throat-related issues you have would make you a suitable candidate for a tonsillectomy.

Tonsillectomies can solve a number of issues, including sleep apnea, loud snoring, and tonsil cancer.

Learn more about tonsil cancer here.

The procedure usually involves Trusted Source PubMed Central Highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health Go to source a surgeon removing the tonsils while you are under anesthesia. The two main types of removal are called extracapsular and intracapsular. The former refers to the removal of the entire tonsil, and the latter refers to the removal of a portion of the tonsil.

A healthcare professional can use coblation or electrocautery for either type of removal. These are known as “hot” tonsillectomies. Using a scalpel or scissors is considered a “cold” tonsillectomy, though the majority of tonsillectomies in the United States are “hot.”

Extracapsular tonsillectomy with bovie cautery is the most common form of tonsillectomy procedure in the U.S.

The recipient will most likely be able to go home on the day of the surgery unless they have severe sleep apnea, are under the age of 3 years, or have other illnesses.

Although children tend to have tonsillectomies more often than adults, many adults may also require the surgery if they have issues such as recurrent throat infections or sleep apnea.

For adults, recovery can last up to 2–3 weeks. For children undergoing the extracapsular method of surgery, recovery can take around 7–10 days. Recovery from the intracapsular method can take 5–7 days for children.

There will be some pain following the surgery. Most commonly, the pain is in the throat, but it may also be in the ear, jaw, or neck for a while.

The pain can worsen a few days Trusted Source PubMed Central Highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health Go to source after the surgery. This is normal. Some pain may be worse in the morning than later in the day. The pain can also be worse upon waking up after surgery.

A doctor may want to see the recipient of the tonsillectomy for a checkup a few weeks after their surgery. However, many practices also check in with a phone call several weeks later.

Recovering from a tonsillectomy happens in stages. Some studies Trusted Source PubMed Central Highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health Go to source reveal high pain levels after a tonsillectomy, so having a proper recovery plan in place can help the process.

In the first stage, which is 1–2 days after the operation, you will likely feel very tired and have throat pain. You may also notice:

• bad breath due to the scabs left by the surgery
• a low grade fever
• a feeling of fullness in your throat from swelling
• a raspy voice or difficulty speaking
• nausea from the anesthetic

It is important to rest as much as possible, stay hydrated, and eat foods that are easy to swallow or that feel comfortable to eat. It is also important to keep up with pain medications for the first couple of days.

After the first 2 days, you may start feeling more pain than earlier. If you do not have a fever and are not showing symptoms of infection — such as a foul taste in your mouth, a feeling of warmth in your throat, or increasing bad breath — this increase in pain for a couple of days is normal.

You can try these strategies for the pain:

• Apply an ice pack wrapped in a cloth to the neck. This can help reduce the swelling.
• Drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated.
• Take pain relievers according to your doctor’s instructions.
• Rest as much as possible.
• If eating certain foods causes you pain, avoid them.

You may notice some mild bleeding at this stage. It takes about 5–10 days for the scabs to fall off, and when they do, the area can bleed.

If the blood seems excessive or is bright red (meaning that it is fresh blood), seek immediate medical care.

Try only gentle exercise, if possible, and avoid strenuous activities until your doctor has given you the go-ahead to resume your usual activities. This could be 14 days after the surgery. For younger children, if they feel well enough to play or do other activities, there are no restrictions.

You should also try to avoid anything that can irritate your throat, such as dust or cigarette smoke. Also, avoid crowds as much as possible to reduce your risk of getting ill. If you catch a cold or the flu while recovering from a tonsillectomy, recovery from the viral infection can be tougher because of your already sore throat.

After about 10 days, you should start to notice a significant improvement in how you feel, and your diet should be close to normal again. However, you might want to continue avoiding hard, crunchy foods that can scratch your throat.

The National Health Service (NHS) recommends taking 10–14 days off work or school. This will help you avoid large groups of people, which can reduce your risk of catching a cold or the flu.

Although complications from tonsillectomies are rare, they can occur, just as they can with any other surgery. Seek immediate medical care if you have any difficulty breathing or if there is excessive bleeding.

Some other reasons to seek medical care include:

• vomiting
• worsening or spreading pain
• nausea

Tonsillectomies are very common surgeries. Although the first week can feel rough, you should see an improvement not long after.

A tonsillectomy is a procedure that removes part or all of the tonsils to limit infections or solve breathing or sleeping issues.

With a solid recovery process that includes resting, eating carefully, and recognizing the signs of healing, you should be able to resume your normal life quickly and comfortably after surgery.