If you’ve undergone a surgical procedure for something specific, be sure to take the best possible care of yourself post-surgery. If you’re not following the doctor’s orders and doing too much too soon after getting surgery, you could potentially put your health at risk. It’s just not worth it! If you want to remain healthy and in good condition, check out this list of the things you need to be mindful of during the post-surgery process.
1. Don’t Do Heavy Lifting After Your Surgical Procedure
One of the worst things to do after surgery is to start doing heavy lifting. Avoid lifting furniture, heavy bags, or anything else that weighs too much. Not only does it put a strain on your fragile body after surgery, but it can also cause your stitches to pop open, leaving you with an open incision. And, if you have an open incision, you have a greater risk of developing a severe infection. So, take it easy and don’t do too much. If you need help, don’t be afraid to ask a family member or friend for help instead of pushing yourself to do too much.
2. Try to Get Enough Rest
Make sure you’re getting enough rest. No matter the length or severity of the surgery, it can take a toll on the body, and you want to make sure you can recover well enough. Instead of staying up too late or running on only a few hours of sleep, try to get as comfortable as possible and get at least eight hours of sleep at night. If you’re getting rest, your body can recover at a steady pace, leaving you to feel at ease.
3. Don’t Overwork Yourself
In addition to avoiding heavy lifting, don’t overwork yourself. Yes, you might have to do certain things after surgery, such as cook dinner for your children. However, don’t make yourself do too much, even if you feel fine. It’s normal to feel like you can do all these things, but your body still needs time to heal. If you’re getting up, running around, and doing many things without getting the rest your body needs, you could end up with an infection, irritation, or other issues from it.
4. Stay Hydrated
Be mindful enough to keep yourself hydrated. When you’re dealing with pain from the surgery, one of the last things you’re probably thinking about is grabbing something to drink. However, if you’re not staying hydrated, it could cause you to experience dehydration that can trigger other problems for you. Why put yourself at risk of hospitalization after surgery when you can drink plenty of fluid to stay hydrated?
While it’s best to drink water for hydration purposes, you have other options. You can always consider drinking Gatorade or Powerade for the electrolytes that these specific beverages provide to those who consume them.
5. Take the Medicine as Directed by Your Doctor or Surgeon
Always take medicine prescribed to you as directed. For example, you may have received prescription pain medicine to ease the discomfort from the surgical procedure. Be sure to follow the directions on the prescription to avoid overdosing on the medication you’ve taken. Even if you feel alright, it’s still a good idea to continue taking the medication as directed until you finish it.
Not only will you likely get pain medication to take after surgery, but it’s not uncommon to get antibiotics that you’d need to take to fight and prevent infections. If you take your medicine as directed, you can recover at the perfect pace.
6. Keep a Close Eye Out for Any Signs of a Possible Infection
Be aware of any signs of infection. For example, if you’re experiencing a lot of pain, dealing with a blistering incision, experiencing a fever with chills, or having any other unusual symptoms, reach out to a medical professional for advice.
While post-surgery infections are rare, they can happen to anyone, and it’s best to be prepared by knowing who to contact when dealing with such a problem. If you have an infection, you’ll want to get medical treatment right away to keep the problem from getting any worse for you and spreading to other parts of the body.
If you’re going to have a surgical procedure performed, there are certain things you need to be mindful of after you get home from the hospital. First, taking the best possible care of yourself is essential.
Where do I go from here?
You don’t want to lift heavy objects or put a strain on your body by doing too many things at once. In addition, you should also make sure you’re getting enough rest, staying hydrated, and being aware of any signs of infection. When you’re mindful of these different things, you can recover faster and at a steady pace while getting back to your daily routine in no time.
Interested in talking to Dr. Chadwell about an upcoming surgery procedure? Get in touch today!