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The nasogastric tube: why it is there and why it feels uncomfortable | CION Cancer Clinics
A Ryles tube, also called a nasogastric tube, passes through the nose into the stomach. After many operations on the stomach, bowel or food pipe, it drains fluid and air so the gut can rest and the joins can heal without vomiting. It feels irritating because it touches the back of the throat. This page explains what it does, what helps and when to call the nurse. CION Cancer Clinics’ surgical oncologists in Hyderabad can talk this through with you.
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Medically reviewed by Dr. Muralidhar MuddusettyConsultant Surgical Oncologist · MBBS (AIIMS), MS (Surgery, AIIMS), DNB (Surgical Oncology), MRCS (Edinburgh) · last reviewed September 2026, next review due September 2027
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On this page
- Why is there a Ryles tube in the nose after surgery?
- What is the tube actually doing?
- Why does a Ryles tube feel so uncomfortable?
- How is the tube put in, checked and taken out?
- What is expected, and what should you mention?
- What do families often think about the tube?
- Common questions about the Ryles tube after surgery
The short answer
Why is there a Ryles tube in the nose after surgery?
A Ryles tube, also called a nasogastric or NG tube, runs through the nose and down into the stomach. After many operations on the stomach, bowel, food pipe or pancreas, it drains fluid and air so the gut can rest and you do not keep vomiting while the joins heal.
Why the gut needs to rest
After abdominal surgery the bowel often stops moving for a while. This is expected. Fluid your stomach makes every day then has nowhere to go. It builds up, causes bloating and sickness, and can put strain on a fresh join. The tube lets that fluid out gently. Once your bowel starts moving again, which the team watches for, the tube is no longer needed.
Not everyone gets one
Many surgeons now avoid a routine Ryles tube after bowel surgery, and remove it early when one is used. Whether you need it depends on the operation and how your gut behaves afterwards. Having one does not mean something went wrong, and not having one does not mean you were overlooked. Ask your surgeon before the operation whether a tube is planned, so waking up with one is less of a shock.
The same kind of tube is sometimes used for feeding when you cannot eat enough by mouth. The care is similar, but the reason is different.Four jobs
What is the tube actually doing?
Your team will tell you which of these applies. Often it is only the first.
Draining the stomach
The end of the tube is left open into a small bag, or gently drawn with a syringe. Green or brown fluid in the bag is stomach juice and bile, and is expected.
Protecting a new join
After an operation on the food pipe or stomach, keeping the stomach empty takes pressure off the join while it heals. In this case the tube must not be moved or pulled.
Feeding
Liquid feed can be given through the tube when you cannot eat enough. It keeps up your strength during recovery.
Giving medicines
Some liquid or crushed medicines can go down the tube. Only the nurse should do this, as some tablets must never be crushed.
Not sure whether this applies to you?
Ask an oncologistBeing honest about it
Why does a Ryles tube feel so uncomfortable?
Most people say the tube is more irritating than painful. It sits against the back of the throat, where the body is used to feeling only food passing briefly, so the throat keeps noticing it.
What people usually feel
A sore or scratchy throat, a feeling of something stuck when you swallow, a dry mouth and a sore nostril are the common complaints. Some people gag when they talk or cough. Many find the discomfort eases after the first day as the throat gets used to it.
What helps
Ask the nurse for mouth care and lip balm, and rinse your mouth often if you are allowed. Ask whether you may suck ice chips or take small sips. A throat spray or lozenge may be offered. Tell the nurse if the tape is pulling on your nostril, as it can be moved to a new spot.
What this page cannot tell you
It cannot tell you how long your own tube needs to stay, or whether what you feel is expected after your operation. That depends on the surgery and how quickly your gut wakes up. If the discomfort stops you sleeping, breathing deeply or coughing, tell the nurse. That matters for recovery, and there is usually something that can be changed.
If you are nil by mouth, ask before you swallow anything, even water. Rinsing and spitting out is usually allowed.From start to finish
How is the tube put in, checked and taken out?
Put in
Usually during the operation, while you are asleep. If it is placed on the ward, the nurse passes it gently through one nostril while you take sips or swallow. It is uncomfortable for a minute or two.
Checked
The team confirms the tip is in the stomach, by testing a little fluid or with an X-ray, before anything is put down it. This is repeated if the tube may have moved.
Watched
Nurses record how much drains each day. As the amount falls and you pass wind, the team knows the gut is waking up. Tell the nurse when you pass wind or open your bowels.
Taken out
The tape is removed, you breathe out, and the tube slides out in a few seconds. It feels odd and may make you cough, then the relief is immediate.
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Call the nurse straight away if
You start coughing, choking or become breathless while feed or medicine is going down the tube. The feed should be stopped at once. Also call if you vomit around the tube, the tube looks longer or shorter than before, or it has partly come out. Never push a tube back in, and do not let a family member try to fix it.
Side by side
What is expected, and what should you mention?
Usually expected
Tell the nurse
Green, yellow or brown fluid in the bag
Fresh red blood, or fluid that looks like coffee grounds
A scratchy throat that is easing
Throat pain that is getting worse, or a painful ear
Mild bloating that settles
A tight, swollen belly, or feeling sick with little in the bag
A sore nostril under the tape
A raw or bleeding nostril
Commonly believed
What do families often think about the tube?
"A tube in the nose means he is very serious."
After abdominal surgery a Ryles tube is a routine piece of equipment. It shows the team is resting the gut. It is not a sign that recovery is going badly.
"She is so uncomfortable, we should ask them to take it out now."
It is right to tell the team how uncomfortable she is. But taking it out too early can bring back vomiting and strain the join, and putting it back is far worse. Let the surgeon decide the timing.
"A little water or tea through the mouth will not harm anything."
After some operations even small sips are not allowed yet. Please check with the nurse before giving anything by mouth, including home food, coconut water or tea brought by visitors.
"The fluid draining out is losing him strength."
The fluid would otherwise sit in the stomach and make him sick. The team replaces what is lost through a drip and checks his blood salts, so this is being managed.
Questions we are asked
Common questions about the Ryles tube after surgery
How long does a Ryles tube stay in after surgery?
It varies with the operation. After some bowel operations it comes out within a day or so. After surgery on the food pipe or stomach it may stay longer to protect the join. The team removes it when drainage falls and your gut starts working. Ask your surgeon what they expect for you.
Can I talk with the tube in?
Yes. Your voice may sound a little different, and talking may make you cough or gag at first. Speak slowly and take breaks. It usually becomes easier after the first day, as the throat gets used to the tube.
Will I be hungry while it is in?
Many people are not, because the gut is resting and you are getting fluids through a drip. Some feel thirsty or have a dry mouth. Tell the nurse, who can help with mouth care and check whether sips or ice chips are allowed.
What if the tube comes out by accident?
Call the nurse straight away and do not try to put it back. Sometimes the team decides it is no longer needed. If it is, a trained nurse or doctor will replace it and check the position before it is used again.
Can I get out of bed and walk with it?
Usually yes, and walking helps the bowel wake up. The nurse can close the tube or attach the bag to your gown. Make sure the tube is not caught on anything, and ask for help the first few times you get up.
Does taking the tube out hurt?
It is quick and strange rather than sharply painful. You may cough, your eyes may water and your nose may run for a moment. A mild sore throat can last a short while afterwards and usually settles on its own.
Will I go home with a Ryles tube?
Most people do not. It is sometimes used at home for feeding when eating by mouth is not yet possible. If that is planned, you and a family member will be taught how to use it, and given a number to call if it moves or blocks.
Can a family member help with care?
Yes, with mouth care, lip balm, and keeping the tube free of the pillow and bedrails. Please leave flushing, feeding and re-taping to the nurse. Tell the nurse at once if you notice coughing, breathlessness or the tube moving.
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Sources
- Cancer Research UK — Surgery for cancer
- Macmillan Cancer Support — Surgery
- National Cancer Institute — Surgery to Treat Cancer
- American Cancer Society — Cancer Surgery
This page is general information, not a prescription. Do not change or stop any treatment based on what you read here. If anything is worrying you, contact your own treating team — or call our helpline and we will help you reach the right specialist.
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