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.
Pain is often worse at night and may prompt the need for more pain medication. A single dose of Tylenol or Motrin in the middle of the night the day of the procedure can help significantly to reduce pain the morning after surgery.
Anecdotal evidence from several ENT departments suggests that pain following tonsillectomy is worst on the second and/or third days after surgery.
It is quite common for you to feel progressively worse during the first 5 to 6 days after surgery. You may also become constipated during this time for three reasons: you will not be eating your regular diet, you will be taking pain medications, and you may be less active.
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.
Sleep with your head elevated on 2-3 pillows for 3-4 days to help decrease swelling. Due to tissue swelling and throat discomfort, you may have little desire to drink for several days. However fluids are very important to prevent dehydration.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
Ongoing cough for several days post-op may occur due to swelling in the surgical site and post-nasal drip due to increase secretions. Before starting any over-the-counter cough remedies, please contact our Nurse Line at 412-692-5460 option 4. How much should my child eat or drink after his or her tonsillectomy?
In general, research has found that orthopedic surgeries, or those involving bones, are the most painful. However, researchers also found that some minor surgeries or those classed as keyhole or laparoscopic could also cause significant pain.
What to Expect: 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.
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.
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.
For some children, the sore throat gets worse 5 to 8 days after surgery. Gray or white film will appear where the tonsils used to be. About a week after surgery, this film will come off and your child may have a sore throat again for a day. Drinking plenty of fluids will help to decrease the discomfort.
Limit to quiet activities for 3 days. Children may return to school after one week. Adults may return to work after 3 days if it does not involve strenuous physical activity. No gym, sports, heavy lifting or brass/woodwind instruments for two weeks.
Hormones could be a major factor, says Slawsby. "Nighttime is when the production of the anti-inflammatory hormone cortisol is at its lowest." New research also has suggested that pain may follow a circadian rhythm like the body's internal 24-clock that regulates our sleep-wake cycle.
Chew Ice Constantly
The cold temperature of ice also helps to numb pain and reduce swelling. Because a swelling uvula can be a dangerous side effect of a tonsillectomy, chewing ice is an absolute necessity. Keep a cup filled with ice chips on hand at all times.
Looking after your mouth and throat
You can brush your teeth after the first night. You may have bad smelling breath as you heal. Avoid mouthwash for 1 week.