After having hernia surgery, it’s important to know how to take care of yourself so that you can get the best treatment possible for your incisions. This blog post will advise you on how to do that.
Seek Help If You Experience Complications
No one is immune to complications after surgery. Complications can occur for many reasons and sometimes without even knowing that you are at risk. Some common complications that occur after hernia surgery are listed below.
- infection
- bleeding
- dehiscence (wound separation)
- incisional hernia
- implant migration
- bowel/bladder incontinence
- urinary tract infection
Seeking medical help as soon as you experience any of these complications is the key to getting the best treatment. The sooner you seek help, the better your chances of recovery. Unfortunately, some people delay in seeking treatment thinking that their illness is not that bad or that it will go away on its own. This can cause serious problems that could have been avoided if they had gotten medical help sooner.
Pay Attention To Recovery
Although most people are uncomfortable eating heavy meals or straining their digestive system after surgery, doing so can help your body restore itself more quickly. Eating the correct nutrition and getting plenty of rest is also important in helping your body heal. It is also essential that you follow any instructions your surgeon gives you regarding caring for your incisions and taking care of yourself during your recovery period.
Watch For Signs Of Infection
Even with all the precautions that surgeons take to prevent infection, it is still prevalent. It is therefore important that you look out for signs of infection in yourself or in others near you. The most common symptom of infection is pain or swelling around the incisions. If you experience any of these symptoms, it’s important that you seek medical help as soon as possible. If you wait too long to seek treatment, it could become difficult to treat successfully. In cases of MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus), infection can be particularly serious and even fatal.
Take Appropriate Precautions
Even those patients who do not experience complications usually have to take precautions after surgery. You should take care not to contaminate your incisions and surrounding areas with unclean needles or clothing. This simple act, if repeated often enough, can lead to infections causing serious complications. You should also be careful not to scrub your incisions with too many hot water or soap as this could result in the wounds opening up again. Some patients may also need to take antibiotics after surgery to prevent infection. If you would like to discuss further options available to you, please feel free to contact our office directly. We are here to help and glad to discuss the best treatment plan for you.