Medical Sciences Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for professionals in medical and allied health fields, students of those professions, related academics, and others with a sound understanding of medicine and healthcare-related sciences. It only takes a minute to sign up.
Sign up to join this community
I had my tonsils removed in my mid twenties, and my doctors told me that it was going to be a lot more painful than if I had done it when I was just a lad. They were certainly correct!!
Why is it that a tonsillectomy is more painful to have as an adult? Are the pain nerves more mature? Or is it that the tonsil is larger than when I was a child?
After removal of tonsils, most adults have significant pain for 10 -14 days, some up to 3 weeks. Because adults & teenagers have larger tonsils and more developed throat muscles, pain and muscle spasm can make it difficult to swallow for 2 weeks or more. Constipation may occur because narcotic pain medication, when taken regularly, can slow down the bowels. link
