Pain control The pain is worst in early hours of morning and late at night. Drink as much fluid as possible. Remember, “ A DRY THROAT IS A SORE THROAT”. Gargling with a mouthwash that has a local anesthetic is excellent.
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. Giving pain medicine usually helps. Get your child up and about, and do not keep him from playing.
Most people find that they have the most pain in the first 8 days. You probably will feel tired for 1 to 2 weeks. You may have bad breath for up to 2 weeks. You may be able to go back to work or your usual routine in 1 to 2 weeks.
Throat and ear pain can be severe after a tonsillectomy. Take regular doses of pain medicine as prescribed. Tylenol or the prescribed narcotic pain medicine should be taken as instructed. 24 hours after your surgery, you may add ibuprofen for pain control.
Sleeping with the head elevated 30 to 45 degrees or in a recliner for 3-4 days will reduce the swelling in the throat. The uvula (the thing that hangs down from the palate) may be swollen for the first few days and touch the tongue, occasionally causing a gagging sensation.
Trouble sleeping at night. You may experience some difficult sleeping at night in the days following the procedure. This is common because it can be uncomfortable to breathe through your mouth right after surgery. This should subside once the healing process begins.
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.
Swelling and Bruising.
Tissue injury, whether accidental or intentional (e.g. surgery), is followed by localized swelling. After surgery, swelling increases progressively, reaching its peak by the third day. It is generally worse when you first arise in the morning and decreases throughout the day.
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.
Why is post-surgical pain worse at night? Among the possible reasons are: Your sleep position8. Disruption of your sleep-wake cycle due to your procedure or medications you are taking9.
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.
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.
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.
The scabs usually fall off in small pieces. There may also be a small amount of bleeding. Most people swallow the scabs, often without realizing. Recovery from a tonsillectomy can take 10–14 days.
Your pain after surgery may come and go. It may be worse on the first or second day after surgery. Talk as little as possible, if it hurts. Take pain medicine as directed.
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.
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.
It is really quite sore for about 7 -10 days following a tonsillectomy and the pain can peak around 5-7 days after the operation. It is important to give regular painkillers especially about half an hour before eating so that your child can eat and drink comfortably.
There may be a significant correlation between worst pain at 48 hours and return to normal activity within seven days. There may be a risk that patients can not return to normal activities within seven days because of worst pain experience at 48 hours after day surgery.
Pain and swelling: Incision pain and swelling are often worst on day 2 and 3 after surgery. The pain should slowly get better during the next 1 to 2 weeks. Mild itching is common as the incision heals. Redness: Mild redness along the incision is common.
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.
Your child should not drink through a straw after surgery until his throat is completely healed. Using a straw may increase the risk of bleeding. Give frequent small feedings of soft foods and cool liquids. They usually are most comfortable for your child.
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.