There are several reasons for a tonsillectomy. The two most common reasons are if:
- Your tonsils are causing difficulty in breathing during sleep. This is often seen as frequent snoring.
- You have throat infections that keep coming back (6 or more times in a year), with infected and swollen tonsils (tonsillitis).
- Who gets tonsillectomies?
- Although it may seem like only children need to have their tonsils taken out, adults may also benefit from having their tonsils removed.
A tonsillectomy can be performed in many ways. The surgery will be performed under general anaesthesia while you are sleeping. The surgery usually takes 20 to 30 minutes. You will not feel any pain while the doctor is removing the tonsils. All of the tonsils are usually removed, but some patients may benefit from a partial tonsillectomy.
Healing after a tonsillectomy can be different for each person:
Pain is common and may get worse 3 to 4 days after the surgery. This pain is often worse in the morning and may last up to 2 weeks. Your doctor will design a medication plan to address your pain.
There may be discoloration where the tonsils were removed. When the area is healed completely in about 3 to 4 weeks, the discoloration will be gone.
You should plan on resting at home for at least a week after the tonsillectomy, and limit activity for 2 weeks.
There is a risk of bleeding after a tonsillectomy. The risk decreases after 10 days.