This year I had a tonsillectomy, which as a voice actor was a pretty scary commitment to say the least. After reading hundreds of horror stories, I was pleasantly surprised when I recovered smoothly in two weeks!

If you’re a vocal professional like a singer, public speaker, influencer, or voice actor, you’re probably as nervous as I was. Because of this, I spent weeks on Reddit, TikTok, Instagram, and blog posts (like this one!) to get as many useful products as I could for recovery.

In this post, I will be going over the top 5 products that actually worked for me so you can feel fully prepped for your surgery day!

If you use your voice for a living, you might have a humidifier lying around already. I already had the Vick’s Filter Free Plus Cool Mist Humidifier and it was perfect! With the adjustable rotating nozzle, I was able to have the water directly near my nose and mouth. Keeping your throat moist after surgery is essential, especially when sleeping at night! You’ll want one of these on your nightstand.

Ice/Heat Wrap

When I added this to my Amazon cart, I really didn’t think it would leave my freezer. But looking back at my BeReal’s and camera roll from my recovery, this thing never left my face. The wrap I ordered from Amazon was called LotFancy Face Ice Pack and it was great! It came with four ice packs, so you always had a pair on-deck in the freezer. In the final days of recovery, heat was my preferred temperature rather than cold, and these packs can be heated up in the microwave. Ear pain was my worst symptom, and this product kept it at bay!

Raw Manuka Honey Sticks

I ordered Manuka Honey Straws during my recovery, and they did not disappoint. Don’t just take my word for it! According to studies, the average pain score in case groups with honey was significantly less than groups without honey after a tonsillectomy. 

“Honey administration reduces postoperative pain and analgesic requirements in patients after tonsillectomy. As the side effects of honey appear to be negligible, consideration of its routine usage seems to be beneficial along with routine analgesics.”

I’m so glad I ordered the sticks rather than a bottle of honey. With the sticks you can avoid an extra spoon in your sink, and it’s easy to swallow!

Pedialyte® Freezer Pops

Having to walk through the baby section of my local grocery store for Pedialyte® Freezer Pops seemed unnecessary at the time, but I don’t regret it. These freezer pops are the perfect quick solution for a sore throat and some extra hydration and vitamins. I tried to drink Gatorade, Liquid IV, and milkshakes and they all burned my throat. But these bad boys? They helped every single time!

A TTS App

This tonsillectomy recovery item is actually free! I did not speak for 10+ days, and communicating via hand signals or grunting was not going to work long-term. I downloaded NaturalReader in the app store and it was my most used app for over a week! There are a range of voices (free + paid) and it’s easy to type in any language or accent. Trust me, if you have someone taking care of you they’ll be glad you have this app!