- Sore throat
- Fever
- Snoring
- Dsyphagia
- Mouth-breathing
- Earache
- Frequent head colds
- Bronchitis
- Foul breath
- Voice impairment
- Noisy Respiration
- Draining Ears
Nursing Interventions:
- Promote rest
- Increase fluid intake
- Warn saline gargle
- Analgesics as ordered
- Antimicrobial as ordered.
- Surgery: Tonsillectomy/ Adenoidectomy (indicated if tonsillitis recurs 5 to 6 times a year).
Preop Care:
- Assess for Upper Respiratory Tract Infection. Coughing and sneezing postop may cause bleeding.
- Check Prothrombin Time. Bleeding is a common postop complication.
Postop Care
1. Prone, head turned to side or lateral position (awake: semi fowlers)
2. Oral airway until swallowing reflex returns
3. Monitor for hemorrhage.
- Frequent swallowing
- Bright red vomitus
- Increase pulse rate
- Ice Collar
- Acetaminophen
- Avoid administration of aspirin because it causes bleeding.
- Ice-cold fluid
- Bland foods
Client Education:
- Avoid clearing of throat. This may cause bleeding.
- Avoid coughing, sneezing, blowing of nose for 1-2 weeks.
- 2-3 liters of fluids per day until mouth odors disappears.
- Avoid hard or scratchy foods until throat is healed.
- Report signs and symptoms of bleeding.
- Throat discomfort between 4th to 8th postop day is expected. This due to sloughing off of mucous membrane at the operative site.
- Stool: black or dark for few days due to swallowed blood.
- Plenty of rest for 2 weeks.
- Avoid colds, overcrowded places; coughing and sneezing due to URTI may cause bleeding.
