Adult Tonsillectomy

Some important aspects to consider after and adult tonsillectomy

Tonsils are lymph glands that help the body to fight infections. Tonsils when infected and enlarged need special medical attention. Doctors try to cure the infected tonsils by medicines, but in many cases when the medicines do not make them better: they need to be removed by surgical methods. Tonsillectomy is the surgical method that has been used to remove the infected tonsils for years. Children and adults with inflamed and enlarged tonsils both have this surgery, but there is a vast difference in an adult tonsillectomy and a child tonsillectomy. Adult tonsillectomy is more painful and needs more time to recover.

Patients experience pain for about two to three weeks after the removal of tonsils. They do not feel too much pain immediately after the surgery, though, because this surgery is done under anesthesia. Afterwards, when the affect of anesthesia starts getting diminished, the patients feel very uncomfortable. The patients experience sore throat for about two to three weeks after the surgery and find it very difficult to eat and swallow. Normal diet cannot be started right after the operation that is why they lose weight and experience weakness too. The recovery period after adult tonsillectomy depends on the lifestyle of the patients and on practices that that they adopt to take care of themselves.

There are some important aspects that should be considered after adult tonsillectomy.

Patients should avoid any unhealthy habit like; smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages. They should not take stress and avoid any long and vigorous exercises. Patients should not go to crowded and enclosed places like cinemas and halls-it is to avoid the possible risk of getting any infection.   Diet is also one of the very important aspects that should be considered during the recovery period. You should discuss with your doctor what-to-eat and what-not-to eat. During the first few weeks patients are advised to eat ice-creams and ice lollies. Mostly, doctors advise patients to eat soft foods like pasta, baby food and soups, etc. without spices. Drinking plenty of water is very essential for the patients. Drinking water is severely painful, though, especially when you drink water after a few hours, but if you do not drink water the pain becomes more severe. Patients should take care of the wounds. In case of heavy bleeding the nearest hospital should be contacted immediately.

There should be proper arrangements of maintaining normal temperature and air humidity in the patient’s sleeping room. The sleeping environment should be very comfortable. Patients should take proper medicines, get enough sleep and plenty of rest as the most important factor on which the adult tonsillectomy recovery depends is getting enough rest.  Stress is one of the factors of delay and complications after the surgery. You should be relaxed and keep your mind busy with fun activities like reading books and magazines and watching your favorite shows on the TV.  The recovery process speeds up after a week or two when the scabs fall off. You should take care of yourself during this period too.

>>> Tonsillitis treatment

Tonsillectomy in adults

Some basic info

Tonsils are the lymph glands that lie on each side in the back of the throat. These glands produce antibodies to fight off infections. They are prone to enlargement and inflammation, a condition that can lead to tonsillitis. If the condition cannot be cured by taking medicines orally, your doctor may suggest removal of the tonsils. Tonsillectomy is a surgical procedure for the removal of tonsils with a history of about 3000 years! Tonsillectomy in adults is different from the children tonsillectomy because of two reasons. Firstly, adults take longer period to be healed completely as compared to children. Secondly, a child’s tonsils being smaller than adult’s tonsils require less skin to be removed during the surgery.

Tonsillectomy may be indicated when the patient has chronic tonsillitis that cannot be cured by antibiotic medicines. Other reasons which suggest a tonsillectomy in adults include: three or more attacks of sore throat per year despite proper medication, getting a peritonsillar abscess multiple times, having chronic tonsillitis and persistent pain and discomfort in the throat and high fever, having a problem with breathing at night due to large tonsils, having difficulty in swallowing due to large tonsils, production of tonsil stones, having abnormally large tonsils with marks like craters on them, having frequent ear infections associated with tonsillitis.

This surgery is performed under general anesthesia. The skin lining of the glandular tissue is cut using scissors, laser, scalpel or electrocautery. The tonsils are removed and the blood vessels are sealed or fused by using by electrocautery. This reduces the risk of haemorrhage. Tonsillectomy in adults is more painful as compared to that in children.

After the surgery, patients are given painkiller injections; and their blood pressure, pulse rate and bleeding rate are checked frequently. For the first four hours, patients are not allowed to drink or eat anything. Patients experience a sore throat for about two to four weeks and have difficulty in eating and drinking; but they are encouraged to use their throat as much as possible. Patients have to stay in hospital for one or two days after the surgery.  Tonsillectomy in adults can cause some complications too. For example, the pain can diminish within the first two days, but can start again within the next six days. Patients can also get ear pain and excessive bleeding from the tonsil pads. Haemorrhage can also occur within the first week of the surgery.  

The recovery after tonsillectomy in adults is also difficult. The patients should have to take care of themselves a lot after the surgery. In case of any problem, they should immediately call their doctor. They should avoid smoking and drinking sour drinks or juices. Foods with rough textures and spicy food cause irritation and pain therefore they should eat soft and less or no spice food. Any kind of vigorous exercise or work load should also be avoided. They should avoid going to crowded places.

A tonsillectomy does not decrease of risks of throat or tonsil infections, but it is supposed to be a cheap and quick method to get rid infected and large tonsils.

 >>> Tonsillitis treatment

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