Patient education: Tonsillectomy in adults – Discharge instructions (The Basics)

What are discharge instructions? — Discharge instructions are information about how to take care of yourself after getting medical care for a health problem.

What is tonsillectomy? — Tonsillectomy is surgery to remove the tonsils (figure 1). These are areas of soft tissue in the back of the throat.

How do I care for myself at home? — Ask the doctor or nurse what you should do when you go home. Make sure that you understand exactly what you need to do to care for yourself. Ask questions if there is anything you do not understand.

You should also:

●Expect to have throat pain. Sometimes, pain does not get bad until 1 or 2 days after surgery.

●Take liquid acetaminophen (sample brand name: Tylenol) to help with throat pain. Your doctor will most likely tell you to avoid NSAID medicines like ibuprofen and aspirin, since these can increase the risk of bleeding.

●Follow all instructions for taking your medicines.

●Use a cool compress on your neck or suck on ice chips to help with pain, if needed.

●Try chewing gum to help with ear pain, if needed. Ear pain is common after tonsillectomy.

●Eat soft foods that are easy to swallow. If acidic foods like citrus make your pain worse, you might want to avoid these. If you have an upset stomach, start slowly with bland foods to lower the risk of vomiting.

●Drink plenty of liquids. This can be water, juice, broth, or an electrolyte drink that you buy in a store or pharmacy (such as Gatorade). You might not feel like drinking while your throat hurts, but it's important to get enough liquids.

●Stay home from work or school until your doctor or nurse says that you can go back. Most people need to stay home and recover for 1 to 3 weeks.

●Avoid intense exercise or heavy lifting for at least 2 weeks.

●Be aware that most people have bad breath after tonsillectomy. This is normal. It usually goes away within 2 weeks.

What follow-up care do I need? — Your doctor or nurse will tell you if you need to make a follow-up appointment. They might want to see you about 4 weeks after your surgery to make sure that you are healing. If so, make sure that you know when and where to go.

When should I call the doctor? — Call your doctor or nurse if you:

●Have bright red blood or blood clots coming from your nose or throat – A little blood in saliva or vomit is normal after surgery. But if you see a lot of bright red blood or clots, go to the hospital right away.

●Cannot drink liquids

●Have nausea, vomiting, or a cough that does not go away

●Get a fever

●Feel very weak

●Feel short of breath or have a bad cough

●Have severe throat or ear pain that doesn't get better after a week or 2 or gets worse

More on this topic

Patient education: Tonsillectomy in adults (The Basics)