Surgery can be tough to recover from, but getting enough bed rest and staying hydrated are two top surgery recovery tips that can help you recover from surgery faster. Also, listening to your doctor and following their instructions is non-negotiable during recovery.
If you've just had surgery, it's vital to take care of the surgical site for longer than just the first few days. Research shows that surgical site infections are a concern, occurring in approximately 1.9% of all surgical procedures. Fortunately, knowing what to do after you've come home can speed up the healing process.
What Are the Stages of Recovery?
Recovery after surgery typically occurs in four stages. Below, we'll list those stages and how they affect your recovery over time.
Immediate Post-Op
The first 48 hours after your operation are the most vital, and are also commonly called the inflammatory stage. Doctors use this time to:
- Focus on pain management
- Monitor you for any complications
- Ensure you're getting the proper bed rest
Typically, during this phase, you can expect swelling or bruising and limited mobility. You might also feel more drowsy, which can happen after anesthesia.
Initial Recovery (First Week)
The next stage is the initial recovery phase, which occurs during the first week of your post-operative care. Surgeons refer to this first week as the proliferation stage and use this time to focus on starting wound care.
During this week, you might find your doctor recommends becoming more mobile, which typically includes walking around the room for several minutes; however, it's important to ask your doctor how long and how often you should walk so you don't overdo it.
Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation after surgery typically lasts 2 to 6 weeks and is referred to as the remodeling stage. Many folks who've had surgery use this time to focus on building strength and potentially returning to daily activities.
Some surgery procedures require physical therapy, which is typically done during this phase of recovery. Many folks try to incorporate light exercises into this stage, such as:
- Longer walking sessions
- Shoulder rolls
- Knee bends
- Ankle pumps
While focusing on rehabilitation after surgery, it's vital to avoid heavy lifting or straining, especially after revision surgery for spine issues. Ignoring this rule can put strain on any stitches on your surgical site, leading to complications and delaying your healing journey.
Long-Term Recovery
Finally, the long-term recovery phase begins six weeks after your surgery and helps you make a full recovery and return to normal. During this phase, your tissue continues to get stronger, helping complete your healing process.
Tips to Help You Recover From Surgery
Knowing what to do after you've had surgery isn't always common knowledge, but some tips can help. Following your doctor's advice is non-negotiable, but here are some additional faster recovery techniques that can help.
Take Care of the Incision Site
Taking care of the incision site is one of the most important surgery recovery tips you can follow. Your doctor will usually give you instructions on how to properly care for it, like keeping it clean and dry. They'll also usually give you instructions on how long to wait before showering and advice on changing the dressing.
Focus On Maintaining Proper Nutrition
Your body cannot properly recover if you're not giving it the right fuel, so focusing on maintaining proper nutrition can help you recover from surgery faster. You want to ensure your diet is rich in:
- Protein
- Vitamins and minerals
- Fiber
While this gives your body the right fuel, it also helps your tissues repair themselves and prevents constipation, which can be common after some surgeries. If you're unsure of what to add to your diet, speaking to a licensed dietitian can help, and you can ask your doctor who they can recommend.
Avoid Drinking Alcohol or Smoking
Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol and smoking are never a good idea, but it becomes even more important to avoid them after you've had surgery, especially oral surgery. Drinking alcohol can complicate things, especially if you're on medication.
Often, alcohol reacts badly with pain medication, potentially leading to lethal complications. Alcohol can also weaken your immune system, which can cause your incision site to become infected more easily.
Speak to Your Doctor About Pain Management
Pain management is vital after surgery, but it's important to discuss your post-operative care treatment with your doctor. Some pain medications can be very strong, especially if they contain opioids.
Such medications can become extremely addictive if abused, so follow your doctor's orders and take your medication exactly as prescribed. If the medication is making you feel worse, it's vital to bring this to your doctor's attention.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to Find the Right Surgeon?
Finding the right surgeon is essential, and can be tricky. When looking, it's important to verify their board certification and research their experience with your specific procedure. It can also help to ask your primary care doctor for a recommendation.
What to Do While on Bedrest After Surgery?
Bed rest is vital after surgery and can sometimes last a long time, but that doesn't mean you have to be bored the entire time. Many folks spend their recovery time focusing on activities such as:
- Deep breathing
- Staying hydrated
- Passing time with streaming services
- Reading books
- Building jigsaw puzzles
- Doing word puzzles
- Playing video games
- Kitting
- Journaling
- Learning a new skill online
Make the Right Choices to Recover From Surgery Faster
Caring for your incision site is essential to help you properly recover from surgery, so following your doctor's advice on post-operative care can make the healing process much faster. Taking your medication correctly is also vital, so you don't have contraindications or become addicted, especially if your medication has opioids. Finally, getting enough bed rest and eating the right foods can also help you recover faster.
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