Your surgeon may advise you on how to heal faster, return to work faster, and perhaps even get back to the gym faster if surgery is on your horizon. It may seem like you need to recover as quickly as possible, but keep in mind that quality also matters.
An excellent place to begin your recovery journey is with your discharge instructions. Read them carefully, make sure you understand every word, and call your healthcare provider if you have any questions.
In the meantime, 10 post-surgery tips should serve you well, ensuring that you heal quickly and properly.
Some restrictions, such as being prohibited from bathing, swimming, or lifting anything heavier than 10 pounds for the first several weeks following surgery, may limit your freedom of movement.
Keep Your Appointments For Follow-Up
Your doctor will ask you how you're doing and whether your wound is healing properly, but they may also check for other things you might not be aware of, such as infections.
Avoid Infection
Infections at the surgical site are not uncommon and often appear 30 days after surgery. Even though inspecting your incision might not be your favorite activity, you must do so numerous times a day.
Take Good Care Of Your Incision
Many people take their attempts to keep their incisions clean too far. Unless your surgeon directs you to do otherwise, your incision only needs to be gently cleaned with soap and water. The incision line may get weaker if you bathe it, which can also be detrimental. Following surgery, many surgeons advise taking showers rather than baths and frequently ban swimming during the initial phases of rehabilitation.
Eat And Drink Sensibly
Many people experience appetite loss following surgery. Until your appetite comes back, your surgeon most likely has plenty of useful suggestions for you.
Snort And Cough Carefully
If you sneeze or cough incorrectly following an abdominal incision, it could do catastrophic damage. A powerful sneeze can force a new surgical wound to reopen because a new incision isn't particularly sturdy. It would help if you braced the wound, providing pressure to the region while sneezing or coughing.
Understand When To Visit The ER
The emergency room or your primary care physician should be your next port of call if you cannot reach your surgeon. While you are healing from surgery, it is preferable to err on the side of caution.
Manage Your Pain
It's critical to manage pain following surgery. Some people object to the concept because they worry about becoming dependent on medications, think taking them shows weakness, or don't like how they feel after using prescription medications.