Bringing your body „back to normal“ after going through a major surgery can be a daunting task. In most cases, you’ll be advised to rest and lead a sedentary lifestyle for a while – something that’s difficult to accept for so many people.
Many of your plans will have to be postponed until you’re fully recovered, and that’s something that will certainly take some time.
Of course, this doesn’t mean you’re not allowed to do anything but sit around and wait until you’re feeling better. In fact, lightly „encouraging“ your body to speed up its natural healing processes is recommended by most physicians.
Here are some of the best ways you can do it without inflicting further damage or pain to your injuries.
Eat Well
While your appetite might not yet be quite there right after you’ve had a major surgery, eating properly is essential to your recovery process. Your body needs energy to refuel and heal – something you can only get from eating nutritious meals (and doing so regularly).
Make sure you treat your body with enough vitamins, proteins, and probiotics. Never skip any of your meals and remember to plan them in advance. Even if you don’t feel like eating at all, even small portions are better than nothing.
So, yes, if you want to get better as soon as possible, you must eat well. As simple as it sounds, it’s the absolute truth. Ask your physician or a nutritionist to help you come up with a quality meal plan. Your body will be thankful, so it’s certainly worth the “extra trouble”.
Keep an Eye on Your Incision
The last thing you’d want when you’re on a road to a speedy post-surgical recovery is to get an infection that can hinder it. Poor hygiene and a lack of caution on your part can complicate your injury even further. Make sure you wash your hands before touching your incision and don’t forget to inspect it as regularly as possible. If you notice any weird changes, don’t hesitate to call your doctor. Even if it ends up being something absolutely normal or harmless, it’s always better to check.
If you were to get an infection after your surgery, you’d certainly have to prolong your recovery period for much longer. So, yes, don’t ever touch your incision before washing your hands and make sure everything that comes near it is completely sterile.
Follow Your Doctor’s Instructions
Just because something has worked for your friend or a colleague, doesn’t mean it will work for you. The only person who can give you a proper treatment plan is your doctor – don’t try to override them with your own ideas.
Even though some of your doctor’s instructions can seem like too much (or even too little in some cases), they’re a medical professional who knows how the human body works better than anyone. So, as time-consuming and difficult as they are, don’t skip on physiotherapy sessions, and don’t go running around if you’re told to rest, no matter how “healed” you feel.
Take Pain Medication
Many people avoid painkillers because they fear getting “addicted” or because they don’t want to seem weak. Others think that, since pain is natural, you should “live through it” in order to recover sooner.
Well, we’re here to tell you that all of these people are completely wrong. Pain medication is extremely useful and can aid your recovery in many ways. Severe pain isn’t just extremely uncomfortable, it can prevent us from eating and sleeping well, which is something that you should never let happen if you want to heal your body quickly.
Go to a Medical Care Facility
Even though you probably want to head straight home once you’ve left the hospital, there are many places you can go for an even faster recovery. Your body has been through a lot, so it deserves the best possible care and attention.
Professionals at rehab centers all over the country can help you reach your recovery goals faster and with less pain and effort. Staying in these types of facilities is especially important for people who went through severe trauma that led to them having troubles walking and doing other day-to-day activities.
If you’re looking for Post-Surgery Rehabilitation Near Atlanta, make sure to choose the centre as carefully as you can.
Be Patient
Feeling weak and unable to take care of yourself alone isn’t an easy position to be in. In fact, it’s incredibly frustrating and difficult to go through.
However, post-surgery recovery is a very slow process that gives you no choice but to give your body the time it needs to heal. It’s something you’ll need to learn to accept, as hard as it may seem at the current moment.
You will recover from this – and that’s all that really matters!
Take Care of Your Mental Health
As we’ve mentioned above, post surgery disability can leave you feeling like a burden to your loved ones. It can take a huge toll on your mental health, which is something that requires professional assistance. Don’t be afraid to seek help if you feel like you need it – it’s nothing to be ashamed of. Everyone could get sick or injured, nobody is invincible. Keep your loved ones close to you, and don’t try to go through it alone. There’s no need to make things harder than they already are.
The Bottom Line
All in all, healing from a major surgery takes serious time and effort, especially if you want to do it as quickly as possible. Your trusted medical professionals should be involved in every step of the way, no matter what you decide to do.
In this article, we’ve provided you with a couple of tips and tricks on how to speed up your recovery process in the healthiest possible way. We hope you found it to be helpful and we wish you the best of luck on your journey to a healthy life.
