Tips For Making A Quick Recovery After Surgery
Having surgery often results in you having to take a major step back from your daily life to give your body the time it needs to heal. Whilst this can feel disruptive and challenging, it is essential. There are a few things you can do to help your body to heal quickly whilst avoiding any damage to the wound or the rest of your body. Be patient and you will be healthy in no time.
Follow Medical Advice
The best thing you can do to recover quickly from your surgery is to follow medical advice. Your surgeons and doctors will have years of experience and know what they are talking about, so following their instructions to a tee will give you the best chance of making a quick recovery. This includes following the instructions you are given when it comes to cleaning your wound.
If you’re unsure of anything, make sure to ask your doctor or nurse to clarify it so you have an understanding of everything you should be doing.
Don’t Do Too Much Too Soon
If you try to do too much too soon, you are very likely to injure yourself or cause complications. Don’t disregard important timelines as guidelines, like when you can drive again, when you can lift things or go back to work, as they will be in place for a reason.
Don’t be afraid to ask your family, friends or careers for help, as that will help you to recover much more quickly. Your body will have been through significant trauma and needs time to heal, so don’t rush your recovery and enjoy the time you have to rest.
Stay Comfortable
When you are recovering, attempting to wear any clothes that are remotely tight fitting or trying to sit at the dinner table with your family could cause problems and slow down your recovery. As tempting as it will be to get life back to normal, just take your time.
Wear comfy outfits like a plain tracksuit, pyjamas or baggy t-shirts to make sure materials aren’t rubbing or putting pressure on your wound. Make sure you are sitting comfortably throughout the day and avoid hard seating like dining chairs. The more time you give yourself to rest, the quicker you will be able to get back to normal life.
Get Moving When You’re Ready
Once you feel ready and you have been given the go-ahead by your doctor, try to be as mobile as you can. This might be simply doing a couple of laps around the garden, walking slowly down the street or aiming to climb the stairs once a day.
Start by making small goals and slowly increase them over the subsequent weeks. Even small amounts of movement will help to improve your blood flow which will assist with the healing of wounds, as well as helping to rebuild lost muscle. Listen to your body and give yourself a rest whenever you need it.
Consume Nutritious Foods
Once again, this will depend on the advice of your doctor, but food is an important part of surgery recovery. You should be fuelling your body with a nutritious diet that will encourage healing, give you much needed energy and keep your body functioning as it should be.
Berries are great for their antioxidant properties. Vegetables are packed full of essential vitamins and minerals to keep your body functioning healthily. Nuts and seeds will provide you with healthy fats to strengthen your immune system. Finally, sources of protein like meat, tofu, beans and pulses will help to repair muscle damage and tissue to speed up wound healing.
Final Thoughts
To give yourself the best chance of a quick and successful recovery, it is important to take your time, follow instructions, stay comfortable, be active when it is safe and fuel your body properly. Recovery can take a long time, but you know that when you come out the other side you will be much healthier. Be patient and you will find that your body will recover much quicker.
