Patients can make a speedy recovery through proper post-surgical care if they take a little time and plan ahead. It is recommended to follow the doctor’s advice and ask him or her what the patient will and won’t be able to do post-surgery.
Here are some tips that can help a patient recover faster from surgery.
Eat healthily
Surgery can make a patient feel constipated and nauseous. It is important to eat a healthy diet even if the patient is not feeling hungry to promote healing. Certain foods aid in the body’s healing process and help cope with fatigue that the patent might experience during surgery.
Foods rich in proteins such as chicken and fish help in healing surgical wounds. Vitamin C and B12 and iron aid bone marrow in developing new blood vessels, helping with efficient recovery. Having a balanced diet boosts the immune system keeping the digestive tract clean. Eating yogurt populates the gut with healthy bacteria improving digestion.
While it is important to stay hydrated, the sodium in the sports drink might cause the body to retain water making it difficult to decrease swelling. Sugary and processed foods containing preservatives lead to fatigue due to fluctuations in the blood sugar levels. It is highly recommended to consult doctors to get a proper diet plan for proper post-surgical care.
Follow instructions
This means even the minor directions that you may find unnecessary because even if the patient feels better physically, chances are, internal healing might still be taking place. Skipping on any instruction might result in prolonged issues such as tearing, excessive bleeding, and even infection.
Avoid skipping follow-up appointments
As a crucial part of post-surgical care, a post-surgical visit is important as the doctors or the physician will examine the patient’s healing process, especially if the incision is internal. Follow up blood work is also done to ensure that there is no infection and to make alterations in the medications of the patient if needed.
Pain management
It is an important process in post-surgical care and is mostly ignored by patients. Some hesitate to take the pain medications out of the fear of addiction and side effects. However, too much pain can put the patient under the risk of suffering from pneumonia and blood clots. Hence it is necessary to keep the pain at tolerable levels as it can help in speeding the healing process. Waiting to take the prescribed painkillers can result in a longer wait for the drug to take effect.
Modify your living space
Family and friends can also play an important role in the patient’s post-surgical care by making sure that the patient is comfortable at home after getting discharged from the hospital. On the other hand, the patient must make some tweaks that can help in faster healing. If the doctor has asked to stick to a diet, the patient must make arrangements to stock the right food before reaching home. If the doctors have advised for less physical exertion and ample bedrest, it is recommended to sleep in a bedroom near a bathroom and get rid of clutter to avoid accidents.
