Your throat probably hurts after surgery for one of two reasons:
First, you may be dehydrated since you weren’t allowed to eat or drink before surgery and you are allowed minimal food and fluids after surgery. Drinking fluids will fix this problem.
Second, during general anesthesia, an endotracheal tube is put into your mouth and down your throat, a process called intubation. This tube is then attached to the ventilator to provide oxygen and breaths during surgery and potentially during the early stages of recovery.
The endotracheal tube insertion can be irritating to the throat, tongue, and vocal cords. The process of having the breathing tube inserted can be irritating to the throat, and having the tube remain in place can cause further irritation in the mouth and throat.
After the tube is removed, patients often find that their mouth, throat and airway are irritated and may experience burning and other symptoms.