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Most patients are permitted to go home the day of the surgery. Patients who are placed under general anesthesia typically will remain in a recovery room for a few hours following the procedure. In some cases, an overnight hospital stay may be required for patients who undergo surgery with general anesthesia. Outpatient procedures do not require a hospital stay. Some studies have shown that a reduced hospital stay following outpatient tonsillectomy does not increase the rick os post-surgical complications.

Patients may be asked to remain in bed for a day or two following the procedure. It is common to experience a sore throat or earache following a tonsillectomy. Patients are urged to drink plenty of fluids (to keep the throat moist) and to eat soft foods while recovering.  Examples of soft foods include:

• Gelatin
• Ice cream
• Ice pops
• Pasta
• Pudding
• Mashed potatoes
• Scrambled eggs
• Warm soup

A humidifier also may help keep the throat moist following surgery. Patients may be asked not to smoke and to avoid heavy lifting or extreme exertion for about 10 days. Antibiotics may be prescribed to help ward off infection during recovery. An over-the-counter or prescription pain reliever can lessen discomfort. However, no medication should be taken without first consulting a physician.

Nausea, vomiting and fever are common for a short time after a tonsillectomy. However, these symptoms typically pass quickly. Some patients may notice white patches, or scabs, at the back of their throat. This is normal. The patches may cause bad breath but typically fall off within a week after the tonsillectomy. Some patients experience jaw and neck pain after the surgery, due to the position the body is in during the procedure.

Bleeding should not occur in the throat following surgery. Any sign of bleeding indicates a need for prompt medical attention.

Patients are likely to notice a sharp reduction in post-operative symptoms and discomfort within a few days. Complete recovery usually does not take longer than two weeks. A tonsillectomy does not cause visible scarring, and a patient’s physical appearance does not change in any way. However, patients whose tonsils were particularly large may notice a change in voice tone following a tonsillectomy.

After the tonsils have been removed or reduced, patients typically stop experiencing the symptoms that caused them discomfort. People who have had tonsillitis do not have as many sore throats as before the surgery, while those whose tonsils were too large should find it easier to breathe. Tonsils are not necessary for normal body functioning, so their removal does not impair the body in any way.