What can you expect after a Tracheal Shave and what can you do to speed up the recovery of yourself and your voice?
What can you expect after an Adam's apple reduction?
Swelling—You may experience some swelling 24-48 hours after the procedure. This is normal and can last up to six weeks. We understand that this can be scary and may feel like you can’t breathe. However, there is no need to worry. The trachea is very strong and will not collapse under this temporary pressure.
Pain—The pain you will experience feels a bit like a sore throat. It will be difficult to speak and swallow, and you will have a burning sensation in your throat. This pain can last for 7 to 10 days.
Scar—Initially the scar will be red and visible. A year later all that remains is a narrow white line that is barely visible because the incision is usually made in a natural fold of the skin.
Air under the skin—Often it is unavoidable that during the operation a hole will be created towards the trachea. This will of course be closed with a suture. However, it is quite normal for some air to escape from the trachea when speaking or coughing. However, after a few days/weeks this will heal on its own without any treatment.
What happens to your voice and why?
It is possible that the quality of your voice will decrease after the surgery. This can be caused by the following two things:
The tube placed between the vocal cords to intubate the patient during surgery can damage the mucus of your vocal cords.
There will be swelling around the larynx for a few months. This affects the external laryngeal muscles which can affect your vocal range and voice quality.
It is therefore normal that you experience this after the operation and during the recovery period.
A smaller vocal range;
A poorer voice quality: a fragile/hoarse voice;
A sore throat;
Tension in the throat/neck area;
Difficulty swallowing or speaking.
What to do
Take vocal rest—Take a break after talking for a while.
Avoid pressure changes—Avoid coughing or clearing your throat if it feels like exertion. Avoid making noise while performing physical activity (e.g., lifting weights).
Yawning—Use the yawn to relax the mouth-throat area.
Hot Steam—Inhale hot steam (inhaler) without aromas that dry out the voice (e.g. eucalyptus, menthol) to help restore the mucus to your vocal cords.
Voice relaxation exercises
Voice flexibility exercises
Time—Give yourself and your body time to recover so that swelling can go down. Stress is a major factor, the more stress a body experiences, the slower the recovery can be.