To evaluate the effects of using different kinds of pharyngeal tampons on incidence and duration of postoperative sore throat, nausea and vomitting. A prospective, randomized, controlled trial with 175 patients undergoing nasal surgery were included in this study. Study groups were no pharyngeal tampon (group I), dry tampon (group II), tampon with chlorhexidine (group III), tampon with 0.9% NaCl (group IV) and tampon with lidocaine (group V). The hemodynamic parameters were recorded. The presence of nausea, vomiting and sore throat at postoperative were recorded. A visual analog scale (VAS) scoring was acquired during each inquiry. The patients in group I had higher VAS scores at 12th and 24th hours (P<.05). These patients also had more frequent sore throat compared to others (38.9% vs 16%, P<.05). The patients in group IV had more frequent nausea and vomiting (P<.05) while sore throat was more common in group II (P<.05). VAS scores were also higher in patients in group II, especially in early postoperative period (P<.05). However in late postoperative period the patients in group I had significantly higher VAS scores (P<.05). Tampons with lidocaine or clorhexidine seem to be reliable choices and are related with less sore throat, nausea and vomitting in postoperative period. Dry tampons were related with high incidence of early postoperative pain. Not using any tampon was associated with increased nausea and vomitting frequency in early postoperative period. Using tampons with NaCl was associated with higher frequency of nausea and vomitting especially after 6th postoperative hour.