Surgery is rarely, if ever, a pleasurable experience. While you may benefit from, appreciate, or even love the results, even the most routine surgery can take a lot out of you both mentally and physically.
Managing chronic pain can be a lifelong process, and when it comes to recovering from surgery, many people think they are just stuck waiting it out. Luckily, you can do a few things to make it a bit quicker and easier, and we wanted to share some of those tips with you.
Follow Instructions
Change surgical dressings as directed, watch for signs of infection, and wear clothes that don’t irritate incision sites. Take medications as prescribed, even if you don’t feel like you need them, and be sure to follow all warnings, such as not driving or operating heavy machinery.
Controlling pain will help speed the healing process. Just remember that pain medication can cause constipation and dehydration, so be sure to drink plenty of fluids.
Dress and care for your wounds based on what your doctor says, not what you think should be done. Even if it looks and feels healed, starting activities too soon could result in unexpected issues.
Furthermore, since it has no pigmentation, protect your new tummy tuck scars and other surgical sites from sunlight. If you are going to be outside for extended periods, ask your doctor about sunscreen usage.
You also need to attend all follow-up appointments with your doctor.
Get Up!
One of the first things you need to do as soon as possible is get out of bed! It may be a little painful at first, but it actually helps you heal because it increases blood flow and can help reduce the chance of developing pneumonia and prevent blood clots. Additionally, when your doctor approves, start therapy to stretch those muscles and regain strength.
Eat Right!
It’s extremely important to nourish your body and give it the necessary nutrients to promote recovery. While vanilla cupcakes may be the only thing that sounds good, you need to eat right if you want a quick and easy recovery.
Don’t
- Consume sugary drinks and snacks as they can suppress your immune system response.
- Try to hydrate with sports drinks as they are high in sodium and can increase swelling.
Do
- Eat eggs, chicken, fruit, fiber, yogurt, fish, and other foods high in protein, vitamin C and B12, and probiotics.
- Keep yourself hydrated with plenty of water.
Rest
Even though just laying around may be hard and cause you a bit of emotional distress, you need to listen to your body following surgery. While you need to get out of bed like mentioned above, if you feel tired, take a break and if you’re sleepy, take a nap.
Inspect & Prevent
Though it may not be appealing or your favorite thing to do, you need to look at your incision at least a couple of times per day when possible. Is it pink or red? Are your stitches or staples intact? Is there any drainage, and if so, what color is it?
Inspecting the wound and answering these few questions will help you determine if it has become infected or is healing as desired. However, to help prevent infection, make sure that you wash your hands thoroughly before touching your incision.
Recovering from surgery doesn’t have to be a long, drawn-out ordeal. Listening to both your doctor and your body, eating and drinking right, and getting plenty of rest while also moving often can all help your body heal a lot quicker and easier.
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