If you or a loved one have had surgery recently, you know that the actual operation is often the easiest part and that recovery begins after you’ve left the recovery room. With hospital stays becoming shorter and more surgeries being done on an out-patient basis, recovery has moved to the home and even the workplace. To get back to health quickly and safely after an operation, try some of these surgery recovery tips. 10. Sleep It Off There’s no better place to recover from surgery than in your own bed. Sleep allows your body to repair itself with minimal disturbance. Try to sleep without sleeping pills so you can be aware of any discomfort or problems. 9. Drink Fluids Water is the nectar of recovery so drink plenty of it even if you’re spending most of your time in bed. Drink at least eight glasses a day to stay hydrated and help your circulatory system flush and feed nutrients to the areas affected by surgery. 8. Think Well Your mind is a powerful force in your recovery. Think positive thoughts about your road to wellness, listen to uplifting music, read motivational books and surround yourself with humor – laughter really is a good medicine for surgery recovery. 7. Eat Sensibly You may not feel like eating after surgery but your body needs nutrients to repair and replace damaged cells. Don’t overeat, especially if you’re in bed, and stick with foods that are easy to digest, especially proteins which contain amino acids essential for tissue replacement. 6. Manage Pain Carefully We’ve all heard the stories about patients becoming addicted to pain-killers, but managing pain during the recovery period can speed it up. Follow your caregiver’s and pharmacist’s instructions carefully and consult with them before adjusting your pain management. Often the application of a scar cream can cool the skin, reduce pain and discomfort, and help the surgery site heal with the least possible scarring. 5. Clean Up Few things make you feel better than feeling clean. Change your clothing often – even a pair of clean socks will help. Take a shower or bath as soon as you can or do as much cleansing as you’re allowed without getting stitches or casts wet. Ask someone to help bathe you – the small amount of embarrassment is soon replaced by the great feeling of cleanliness. Replace surgical wound bandages often for cleanliness and to prevent infections. 4. Communicate Talking to others helps take your mind off or your pain and discomfort, so visit if you’re mobile or invite friends over if you’re not. Go for face-to-face over phone calls, texts and social media conversations – the healing power of touch is tremendous. 3. Get Up And Go Muscle tone deteriorates rapidly even when you’re fit, so it’s important to walk around and engage in exercise and physical therapy as soon as you can after surgery. Use support aids, safe shoes and compression clothes to help weak muscles and keep your body parts warm until regular circulation returns. 2. Rub It Out Massage is an excellent recovery aid to help relive muscle aches and pains while stimulating circulation. A licensed massage therapist is best, but good results can also be obtained from self-massage, electric massage devices and other aids. 1. Spiritual Recovery Prayer and faith can have a tremendous effect on the recovery process. A visit with a minister or religious person, even if they are not of your own religion, can relieve pain, reduce stress and aid in healing source
