A Brief Overview of Tonsil Surgery

If you have a throat condition that cannot be remedied through non-surgical means, then it’s possible that you’ll need to have a tonsillectomy. Tonsils are there to help fight bacteria that may otherwise enter your body, but if the tonsils become infected, then sometimes removal is the only option.

While there are various conditions that may require surgery, historically, the most common reason is tonsillitis, which can be painful and make it difficult to swallow, among other symptoms. The surgery is also increasingly used to treat breathing problems, especially ones related to sleeping.

In this blog, we’ll run through everything you need to know about tonsil surgery, including who needs it, what the procedure involves and how you can recover once the surgery is over.

Who needs tonsil surgery?

In general, tonsil surgery is carried out on children, but it’s sometimes required for adults, too. As mentioned above, the main reason is tonsillitis. Of course, this condition is common and usually resolves without the need for surgical intervention. However, if you have repeated cases of tonsillitis, then it’ll be important to talk to an ENT doctor.

Other reasons why a person might need tonsil surgery include persistent snoring, breathing problems if your tonsils bleed or cancer of the tonsils.

How to prepare

Your doctor will handle all things related to the surgery itself, but there are some things that you’ll need to do beforehand to ensure that everything goes to plan. These include avoiding any anti-inflammatory medicines in the two weeks prior to your surgery. It’s also important that you don’t eat anything on the day of the surgery; this is for your benefit since it means you’ll be less likely to feel nauseous after the surgery.

The procedure

How the procedure is carried out will depend on various factors. There are several methods to remove tonsils. The most common method is with a scalpel, though sometimes tools that burn away the tissue and ultrasonic vibration techniques are also used.

In any case, while you’ll want to know what’s happening to your body during the surgery, the process won’t affect you too much because you’ll be asleep during the procedure. When you wake up, the process will be over, and you can begin your recovery process.

After the surgery

It’s likely that you’ll have some slight discomfort after the surgery, but this is completely normal, and will eventually go away within a couple of weeks. There are some things you can do that’ll help to make yourself more comfortable during your recovery, however.

The first thing is to clear your schedule so that you’re well-rested; two or three days taking it easy will help a lot. From there, it’s all about having the right foods and drinks – such as ice-cream and soft foods – and taking some pain medication when required.