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Adenoidectomy Recovery

If your adenoids bother you, you may choose to have them removed, which sometimes helps with sleep apnea and breathing problems. If they consistently bother your child, causing breathing difficulties, they could be the reason for frequent ear infections being experienced. Adenoids are removed through a surgical procedure known as an adenoidectomy. Adenoidectomy surgery is much less complicated than having your tonsils removed, and recovery time is half that of a tonsillectomy.

  1. Adenoids Defined

    • While both adenoids and tonsils are located in the throat area, the adenoids are located more in the back center of the throat, between the nose and upper throat area. If breathing or sleeping problems keep occurring (and are due to swelling and infection of the adenoids, the tonsils or both), they might both be removed together. However, recurring ear infections in smaller children prompt many adenoidectomies.

    Child Recovery Information

    • Immediately following the 15- to 30-minute surgery, children are monitored as they sleep off the anesthetic effects from the operation. A sore throat or nausea may be experienced upon awakening, and both painkillers and an antibiotic will likely be prescribed for use at home later. It is important for children to drink fluids in order to avoid dehydration, in spite of the pain in their throat. Painkillers prescribed by the doctor can be given 30 minutes prior to meal time to help eliminate meal eating pain, according to the online website Bupa.com.

    Diet and Precautions for Children

    • Diet should consist only of soft or liquid foods the first few days. Rest at home for several days is necessary. In addition, children should not be sent to school or taken outside the home (or around anyone smoking or coughing) during this rest period, in order to avoid possible infections or complications. Generally, a followup appointment with a doctor is scheduled for one week after the surgery.

    Adult Recovery

    • Adults might experience a lack of energy and/or restlessness at night after an adenoidectomy, according to the University of Mississippi. In addition, they may feel that they are getting worse, not better, during the first five days. Constipation, due to the sudden diet change after surgery, may also be experienced. And as with children, adults should drink adequate amounts of fluid during the first few days following surgery (one glass per hour).

    Adult Rest and Restrictions

    • Additionally, two days of bed rest is necessary following this type of surgery, enabling individuals to return to work, generally, three days after their operation. No aspirin should be used during this period (only Tylenol), if fever is experienced---which it often is, at least a slight one. However, if you have a high fever it generally indicates you are not drinking enough water, according to the University of Mississippi Medical Center.

    Significant

    • Neither children nor adults who have undergone an adenoidectomy should experience any bleeding from the nose or the mouth once sent home. Immediately contact your physician if this symptom, or a fever higher than 101 degrees, occurs following surgery. Also, strenuous activities should be avoided for approximately two weeks after surgery, regardless of age.

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