Typically, orthopedic surgeries are corrective surgeries for repairing damaged or injured bones. It can seem scary, but orthopedic surgery is your best bet to recover from orthopedic injuries. While surgery can help you regain lost balance and flexibility, undergoing surgery is a huge decision.
You need to determine a suitable schedule and arrange after-care. In simple words, patients have many things to consider. Make sure to get in touch with a professional orthopedic surgeon like Dr. Hill to ensure that the post-surgery recovery process goes smoothly.
While your doctor and other medical staff are responsible for caring for you, patients complete recovery at home. Since caring for yourself after surgery is your responsibility, you need adequate knowledge of how to do it.
After-Surgery Dos
Here are some things you should do after your surgery for an orthopedic injury.
Follow Your Doctor’s Directions
Many patients assume it is up to them to decide what instructions to follow or ignore. It is a huge mistake, as ignoring any post-surgery instructions provided by your doctor can lead to serious consequences. Whether you understand the reason behind a specific recommendation, do not disregard it if you want to avoid problems. Remember, your surgeon knows best what your body needs.
Use Pain Medication
Many surgical procedures for orthopedic injuries involve blocking a regional nerve. The effect usually wears off within six to eighteen hours. And when it fades away, you will likely experience much pain. Pain is inevitable after orthopedic surgery.
While there may be many different ways of tackling post-surgery pain, only your doctor can tell what will work best for you. So, avoid using other pain-relieving methods, no matter how promising they seem. It is best to use the medication as instructed by your surgeon.
Additionally, it is advisable to avoid forcing motions that cause pain. If you‘re experiencing swelling and pain, using ice therapy is harmless.
After-Surgery Don’ts
Here are some things you shouldn't do after your surgery for an orthopedic injury.
Don’t Smoke
Oxygen is essential for wound healing. Research shows that smoking can reduce the amount of oxygen reaching wounds. Moreover, it can affect the function of the inflammatory cells. As such, smoking after surgery can interfere with the healing process. It can extend the healing period by weeks, increasing the time you have to deal with post-surgery pain.
It is best to avoid smoking if you want your surgery wounds to heal in time. Not to mention, smoking also presents an increased risk of postoperative pneumonia and other infections.
Don’t Skip Appointments
Even after surgery, your orthopedic injury is still healing, so you must continue seeing your doctor until you completely recover. You may want to forget about hospital visits and appointments, but it isn’t a good idea. Remember that you will need to get surgical implants removed once your damaged joints, bones, or cartilage have been repaired. Avoid missing your hospital appointments to stay on top of your health condition and spot any issues early on.
Bottom Line
Surgery is your best bet for an orthopedic injury. Orthopedic implants can help speed up repairing your broken or fractured bone. Not forgetting, it is effective for restoring mobility and flexibility. A professional orthopedic surgeon like Dr. Hill can guide you on how to take care of yourself post-surgery. Book your appointment today to learn how to prepare for orthopedic surgery and care for your surgery wounds.
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