Can you eat after adenoid surgery?
In this brief guide, we will address the query, “can you eat after adenoid surgery?” We will also talk about what is adenoid surgery, when you will need it and what are the risks of doing it. We will then discuss the type of foods and beverages you can eat and drink after adenoid surgery, and what to avoid eating.
Can you eat after adenoid surgery?
Yes, you can eat after adenoid surgery. Most likely, your doctor will recommend you to wait a few hours after the procedure, so the effect of anesthetic can wear off, but there are no restrictions about eating and drinking whatsoever.
What is adenoid surgery?
It is a procedure to remove adenoids, a soft tissue located behind the nasal cavity.
Adenoids function is to act on the immune system, fighting infections caused by bacteria and viruses. Sometimes, they can get swollen or enlarged due to these infections or other reasons that are unclear, and this can block air flow, interfering with breathing.
Adenoid surgery is also called adenoidectomy, and it’s pretty common and safe. It is normally done by nose, throat or ear surgeons and can last about 30 minutes.
Most of these procedures are done on children, since they are more likely to get respiratory infections.
When will you need adenoid surgery?
You will need adenoid surgery when your adenoids are somehow obstructing your airways and blocking you from breathing properly. Some children are born with enlarged adenoids and thus often need to have them removed without having any type of infection.
Some people feel the need to have their adenoids removed, even when the interference in breathing is mild. This happens because large adenoids can cause problems like:
- Ear infection
- Snoring
- Trouble sleeping
- Loud breathing
What are the risks of adenoid surgery?
Despite being very predictable, some possible complications of a root canal are change in the tooth color, sinus congestion, seal failure (leading to infection) and disruption of the surrounding nerves.
Root canal is a common and safe procedure, however, every surgery, even the minor ones, has its risks. Find a good and reliable endodontist to minimize the side effects and have a smooth recovery.
Most complications are rare and easily treated.
What can you eat after adenoid surgery?
You can eat anything you like after adenoid surgery. You may find it a bit difficult to swallow due to a throat pain that can endure a few weeks, but this will not interfere with your eating possibilities.
The primal recommendation is to drink a lot of fluids. Cold liquids can ease the sore throat, but avoid acid beverages like orange and lemon juices. Also, drink a lot of water.
Even if you can eat anything, prefer soft foods such as:
- Pancakes;
- Scrambled eggs;
- Yogurt;
- Bananas;
- Tuna;
- Peanut butter;
- Soft bread with jelly;
What are the side effects of adenoid surgery?
Some side effects include throat and/or ear pain, nausea, vomiting, bad breath, inflammation inside the nose, swallowing problems, fever, bleeding and sometimes reaction to the anesthesia.
You don’t have to be alarmed. Adenoid surgery is very safe and post-op period is often easy and quiet. Those side effects are generally mild and don’t offer greater risks for you.
However, if you feel anything out of the ordinary, don’t hesitate to contact your doctor.
Can you drink alcohol after adenoid surgery?
You cannot drink alcohol right after adenoid surgery since its effect can interfere with the anesthetic. It is also not recommended to drink it if you are taking narcotic painkillers or antibiotics. You must wait at least 24 hours.
Another recommendation is to not drive for the first 24 hours, as the anesthetic may harm your driving sense.
Conclusion
In this brief guide, we addressed the query “can you eat after adenoid surgery?”. We also talked about what is adenoid surgery, when you will need it and what are the risks of doing it. Then we discussed the types of foods you can eat after this procedure and what to avoid eating.
We hope that this guide was useful. If you have any doubts, please don’t hesitate to contact us!
Citations
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/adenoids-and-adenoidectomy/
https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/picture-of-the-adenoids
https://medlineplus.gov/adenoids.html
https://www.medicinenet.com/having_your_adenoids_removed/article.htm
