Following surgery, you’re eager to get back to your daily routine, but it can take several weeks (or longer) for your body to heal. As you recover, you’re likely to experience some pain — about 80% of people recovering from surgery do.
However, you don’t have to suffer. Several steps can help ease discomfort and encourage your body’s healing process.
At LiveWell Pain Management, interventional pain management physician Nora Taha, MD, regularly assists patients in managing pain during their recovery from surgery. Here, we explain why postsurgical pain occurs and provide simple tips for relief.
Open and minimally invasive surgeries require incisions, which involve cutting through the skin, nerves, and surrounding tissue. Although Dr. Taha’s incisions are small and precise, any damage to the skin and underlying tissues leads to an inflammatory response.
This inflammatory response triggers swelling and causes the nerves in and around the surgical site to send pain signals to the brain. It can also cause other side effects, like muscle spasms, making symptoms worse.
Despite these side effects, managing pain after surgery is possible. These tips can make recovery easier and more comfortable:
Following surgery, Dr. Taha prescribes medication to help manage pain and reduce the risk of infection. The type and dosage of medication vary, depending on the surgery, but following a strict schedule is crucial regardless.
Research shows that time-scheduled dosing provides better pain relief, causes fewer side effects, and reduces the risk of dependence.
Since it can be difficult to take your medication at the same time each day, we recommend setting an alarm on your phone or digital calendar. A pill organizer can also help ensure you don’t miss or double up on a dose.
After an operation, it can be tempting to stay in bed, thinking rest is the best way to recover, but staying active is actually better. Many people who undergo surgery benefit from a personalized physical therapy (PT) regimen. PT uses stretches, strengthening exercises, and manual therapies, like acupuncture, to promote healing.
While that’s great from a recovery standpoint, PT also reduces pain. In fact, research shows that people who participate in PT after surgery have significantly less discomfort. Furthermore, they’re less likely to rely on opiates and other potentially addictive painkillers.
Do you meditate or practice deep breathing when you feel stressed? These are great ways to calm frazzled nerves, but they can also help with postsurgical pain.
Although more research is needed, preliminary studies suggest that strengthening the mind-body connection can change how the brain perceives pain. For example, an analysis of 16 randomized controlled trials found that meditation reduced anxiety and helped alleviate pain in patients who undergo invasive procedures.
We can recommend specific relaxation techniques or refer you to a specialist for more tailored advice.
Postsurgical pain is a common side effect of minimally invasive and open procedures, but you don’t have to suffer alone. After reviewing your medical records, discussing your symptoms, and completing an exam, we can recommend a personalized treatment plan.
Call the nearest LiveWell Pain Management office in Elmwood Park, Englewood, or Paramus, New Jersey, or request an appointment online.
