Explanation

A tonsillectomy is when a doctor removes your tonsils. Tonsils are small lumps of tissue in the back of your throat on each side that help fight infection.

Why do I need one?

Tonsils are part of your immune system. When your tonsils help fight an infection they can sometimes get infected themselves. This is called tonsillitis. It makes them swell up and it's very painful!

Tonsillitis can keep coming back causing you a lot of pain and discomfort. If you keep getting tonsillitis, your doctor might suggest removing them. Once you have had your tonsils out, you never have to worry about tonsillitis again!

Sometimes people also have tonsils that are so big that it makes it hard to breathe when they are asleep. If this happens, your doctor might also suggest removing them so you can breathe better.

What happens before I have it?

You should make sure you tell your doctor about any other medicines you are taking especially medicines that prevent your blood from clotting.

You should also tell your doctor about any illnesses you have or have had in the past, including allergies. If you have a cold or are sick in any way, your tonsillectomy might need to be delayed until you get better. Make sure you call your doctor and ask him or her what you should do.

It's important that you don't eat or drink anything before your operation. Your doctor will tell you exactly how long you have to go without food and drink but it's usually around 6 hours. Doctors try to do tonsillectomies in the morning so that you only need to skip your breakfast. It's really important that you do exactly as your doctor has said otherwise it could be very dangerous when you are asleep.

How is it done?

Your tonsillectomy will be done at a hospital and you may have to stay there overnight. A nurse will check your heart rate and blood pressure before the operation. A doctor called an anaesthesiologist will give you medicine to make sure that you are asleep the whole time. You will get this medicine either as an injection, a gas that you breathe in or through a tube that the doctor will put down your throat to help you breathe.

During the operation, your surgeon will cut out your tonsils and then stitch up the wound so you don't bleed. Sometimes your doctor will use a hot wand to make the bleeding stop - don't worry, you won't feel anything. There are new ways that doctors can do a tonsillectomy, which use either a laser, ultrasound waves or a hot probe to remove your tonsils but these are much less common. All these different methods do the same thing: cut the tonsils away and seal the wound.

The whole operation only lasts for about 30 minutes.

Will it hurt?

You will have a general anaesthetic when you have your tonsillectomy, so the operation won't hurt. When you wake up after your operation your throat will probably feel sore and you may feel a little bit sick. You might also get a pain in your jaw and ears. While you are in the hospital your doctor will give you medicine to stop the pain through an injection either into a vein or a muscle. When you are okay to swallow your doctor will give you some pain killers to take for a week or so to help. It's important that you don't take medicines with aspirin in them when you get home because they can make you to start bleeding again. Ask your doctor if you are not sure what other pain killers to take.

What happens next?

You will either go home the same day or the following morning. A nurse might make another appointment with you to check that your wound is healing well.

You might find that it's difficult to swallow food and drink for while until you heal, but make sure you try to! It's especially important that you try to drink lots of water so that you don't get dehydrated. You could try taking a pain killer about half an hour before eating. It might also help if you eat soft food or liquid food for a few days and try not to have anything that is too hot. But don't worry, this won't last for too long. You should be fully recovered in two weeks time!

Is there anything else I should look out for?

You should keep an eye out for any signs of an infection. It is normal for you to have white stuff where your tonsils used to be but, if you feel very unwell, have a fever or your breath becomes smelly, you may have an infection. You should tell your doctor straight way if this happens.

Also, bleeding in your throat after you have left the hospital is not normal. If there is more than very small amount of blood you should go to the hospital straight away.

What if I have any other questions?

If you have any other questions, you can ask your doctor, or chat to other people about tonsillectomies in the Medikidz forums and virtual world, Mediland.