If you are planning to have surgery or are going through some sort of traumatic brain treatment, head injury treatment, or any other serious medical procedure, including a c-section, everyone wants to know ways to heal faster so you can get back to your regular life.
Typically, recovering from surgery or any other medical procedure is to simply follow your discharge instructions, but the journey can be more challenging for some people.
Here are some helpful tips that can help you heal quickly, completely, and as easily as possible.
Follow Your Doctor’s Instruction
No tip is better than to simply follow your doctor’s instructions. Some patients tend to selectively follow the instructions based on what they think makes sense or will help them. Your doctors best understand your condition and there is always some reason or precaution behind every instruction.
This is why it is better to discuss any confusion with your doctor as opposed to choosing not to follow their instruction. For example, if your doctor tells you to only take showers and not to swim, or tells you to not lift anything heavier than 10 or 15 pounds for the first few weeks, it’s better to follow through.
Don’t Miss Any Follow-Up Appointment
Many patients don’t keep up with their follow-up appointments, especially if they start feeling a little better. If you have started feeling better, a follow-up appointment can seem like an unnecessary expense and even a waste of time. Trust me, I’ve been there too!
However, by regularly following up your physician can check how you feel and if the incision is healing properly. They will also be checking for other things, like signs of infection, that you may not understand. Besides, you tend to require adjustments in your prescribed medication as you get through your recovery process.
Prevent the Possibility of Infection
When you have your surgery done, you want to prevent infection at any cost. Your doctor will guide you on how you can help prevent infection from your end. However, make sure to wash your hands before touching the incision to avoid all possibilities of infection.
This is also why it is essential to never miss your follow-up appointments as they can be effective in identifying infection early and get help to avoid any serious issues.
Drink and Eat Properly
Whether it’s surgery or a spinal decompression in Austin, what you eat can be a big support in your recovery process. Being mindful about what you eat, as well as proper nutrition can help you avoid problems, as well as promote a quicker recovery.
Besides eating healthy and nutritious meals you also need to stay hydrated. Your body needs fuel and fluids to recover and heal after surgery and a healthy diet can help minimize further complications and promote healing, as was just mentioned.
Manage Your Pain
Controlling your pain after surgery is very important so it doesn’t become a big problem for you later on. Taking pain medication does not mean you are weak and can’t take the pain but in your condition feeling that pain may lead to more severe problems.
With your doctor’s consultation, you can also try different pain management techniques like chiropractic and primary care clinics, massage therapy, and physical therapy. Managing your pain at a tolerable level can be very helpful in maintaining a good and quick healing process.
Cough and Sneeze Carefully
When you have had surgery, coughing and sneezing too much or the wrong way can become a problem for you. For example, if you have an abdominal incision, you can do serious harm by simply sneezing or coughing the wrong way.
You may need to brace your incision before coughing or sneezing, which means applying some pressure on the incision. However, make sure you discuss this with your doctor first.
Care for Your Incision the Right Way
A big part of your overall recovery after surgery is taking care of, and healing of the incision. Hence it is important to care for your incision the right way. For example, make sure you wash your hands before you touch the incision. Also, make sure you stick to your doctor’s guided way of cleaning the incision. Some people may want to scrub their incisions or use harsh products like alcohol to keep the area free of germs. But, don’t use anything before consulting your doctor as they can guide you on the best way to care for your incision area.
Get Moving
After the surgery and initial few days, it is very important to walk a little. It may not seem very important at the moment, but simply walking an hour or two every day can have a big impact on your recovery process. It can also help prevent common and annoying side effects of anesthesia like constipation. Making slow movements and walking is also a gentle way of getting back to your physical activities.
Make sure to talk to your doctor about when you can add some walking to your routine.
Quick Recovery
Completely healing after surgery can be very challenging. Make sure you are patient with your body and understand that it takes time to heal. It also helps to surround yourself with a good support system that makes this process easier.
