Sore throat after a general anaesthetic: why it happens and how long it lasts

A sore throat after surgery under general anaesthetic is common, usually mild, and usually temporary. The reason is practical: during a general anaesthetic a breathing tube or airway device is often placed in the throat to keep your airway open and help you breathe while you are asleep. The NHS says a hoarse voice or sore throat is caused by the tube in your throat during the procedure.

Most people notice it as a scratchy or raw throat, sometimes with a hoarse voice and a little discomfort on swallowing, as they wake up and over the first day or two. It usually settles by itself, and simple measures help while it does. If it is severe, is getting worse or does not settle, it is worth asking for advice.

The NHS explains that during a general anaesthetic the anaesthetist puts a tube into your throat while you are asleep to help you breathe. Guy's and St Thomas' says you might have a sore throat if a tube is put in your airway, or an airway device is used to help you breathe freely during the anaesthetic. The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital similarly says you will need a breathing tube in your throat whilst you are anaesthetised to make sure that oxygen and anaesthetic gases can move easily into your lungs.

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital gives the same explanation from the patient's side: it sometimes happens because the anaesthetist has to pass a tube down your windpipe to give you the anaesthetic gases that keep you asleep. So the soreness is a side effect of the airway equipment, not a sign that anything has gone wrong, and it is separate from the operation itself.

Damage to the teeth or mouth is a different, less common matter. The NHS lists damage to your teeth or mouth from the breathing tube among possible complications, and Guy's and St Thomas' says minor damage to the lips or tongue is common. If you notice a chipped tooth or a sore area in the mouth, mention it to the team.

The published figures are consistent in direction and slightly different in detail. The NHS general anaesthetic page says side effects, which include a hoarse voice or sore throat, will usually get better within a few minutes or hours. NHS inform says most side effects occur immediately after your operation and do not last long. Chelsea and Westminster Hospital says it is common to have a sore throat for 2 to 3 days after a general anaesthetic.

Put together, a sore throat that is fading over the first day and gone within about three days fits what the sources describe. The sources read for this page do not give a precise upper limit. The NHS general advice for ordinary sore throats says they normally get better by themselves within a week, and it says to see a GP if a sore throat has not improved after a week.

The sources read for this page describe the treatment as simple. The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital says that often side effects such as a sore throat can just be left to wear off, and lists sore throat among side effects that are treated with pain relief drugs. Guy's and St Thomas' says the symptoms are usually mild and often get better without treatment. The NHS says you may need medicines to help with side effects, such as pain or sickness.

For everyday sore-throat self-care, the NHS sore throat page suggests gargling with warm salty water, drinking plenty of water, eating cool or soft foods, avoiding smoking or smoky places, sucking ice cubes or hard sweets (not for young children), and resting. It says a pharmacist can advise on paracetamol or ibuprofen and medicated lozenges. That page is about sore throat in general rather than after surgery, so check with the surgical team or a pharmacist that a particular medicine is suitable after your operation, especially ibuprofen.

Aftercare rules from the first 24 hours still apply. The NHS says to have someone stay with you, to not smoke or drink alcohol, not to drive or ride a bike, and to be careful about important decisions, because judgement may be affected. It says the effects of a general anaesthetic can last around 24 hours.

The NHS general anaesthetic page says to ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 if you have recently had a general anaesthetic and you are worried about any side effects or they do not get better. That is a low threshold and it is deliberately so.

The NHS sore throat page lists further warning signs. Call 999 or go to A&E if you have difficulty breathing or are unable to swallow, are drooling, are making a high-pitched sound as you breathe (stridor), or have severe symptoms that are getting worse quickly. Ask for an urgent GP appointment or get advice from NHS 111 if you have a very high temperature or feel hot, cold or shivery, have signs of dehydration, or have a weakened immune system. See a GP if the sore throat does not improve after a week.

Some operations involve the throat or neck directly, and the soreness then has a different cause. If your surgery was on the throat, neck or airway, your team will give you specific advice, and that takes priority.

A sore throat rarely comes alone. The NHS lists feeling thirsty, drowsy, shivering, feeling sick or being sick, pain, bruising or soreness from the injection or from lying still, and feeling confused or having memory loss among the side effects of a general anaesthetic. NHS inform lists feeling sick and vomiting, shivering, confusion and memory loss, bladder problems, dizziness, bruising and soreness and sore throat. Guy's and St Thomas' adds headache, dizziness, blurred vision, itching and aches and pains.

The NHS says these side effects will usually get better within a few minutes or hours, and that you may need medicines to help with some of them. Chelsea and Westminster Hospital notes that feeling light-headed or sleepy may continue until the next morning.