Here at ENT Specialists we offer a large variety of services to our patients. One procedure that we frequently do is tonsillectomy. Most of the time this procedure is referred to as having your tonsils taken out. Though you may have heard of this procedure you may not know what it is. Today ENT Specialists is going to help you better understand this process.
Simply stated your tonsils are two lumps of tissue in the back of your throat that work as germ fighters for your body. Sometimes our tonsils end up being an area where infections like to hang out instead. When this happens repeatedly it may lead to you requiring a tonsillectomy. A tonsillectomy is where a trained doctor removes your tonsils. The goal of the operation is to prevent further illness due to infections that were hanging out on your tonsils.
If you have decided that having your tonsils taken out is the best option you will be scheduled for surgery. The night before your surgery you will need to stop drinking or eating. You need an empty stomach as you go into your surgery. In most cases the procedure is an outpatient surgery. You will have your surgery and then go home the same day.
The actual procedure is fairly straightforward. Your tonsils can be removed in a variety of ways. You will want to discuss what procedure we will be using so that you can feel comfortable with it before the day of the surgery. During your surgery you will be put under general anesthesia so that you will not feel pain during the surgery. There are a few risks that that can occur during your surgery. Swelling, infection, bleeding, and a reaction to the anesthetics may cause problems. Typically out patients do not have issues with their surgery.
Many of our patients want to know what to expect during their recovery process after their surgery. The answer to this will depend on your age a little bit. Children recover faster from this surgery than adults do. Adults can anticipate having their throat hurt for 1 to 2 weeks longer than children. After your surgery you will have a few weeks that will be spent recovering from the procedure. The first 8 days following the surgery you will have some pain. After that your pain will go down but you will still be tired for 1 to 2 weeks after that. We recommend that you plan on taking it easy for the first few weeks. You should not return to your normal return for a minimum of one week.
The first few weeks after surgery a few things will happen. You will likely have bad breath for a few weeks. The surgery was in your mouth and as it heals the bad breath will go away. After your surgery there will be a white coating in your throat where your tonsils used to be. The coating is like a large scab. The scab will come off 10 to 16 days after your surgery. You will likely notice it come out. You may have blood in your spit when the scab falls off. This is totally normal! Another thing that will happen after your surgery is that you may snore for a few weeks. Breathing will be different right after your surgery. Most people will breath with their mouth open. This results in snoring as well as a very dry mouth. Many patients will put a humidifier in their room during recovery to counteract this.
Hopefully this helps answer any questions that you may have about the tonsillectomy procedure. If you still have more questions give ENT Specialists a call. We would be happy to help you feel comfortable before you have your procedure.
