Easing the Recovery from Back SurgeryBack surgery is a very serious thing, laying you up for quite some time. It is important to know what to expect from the recovery process, and know what you need to do in order to make a speedy recovery. Recovery time depends a lot on age, health, and the severity of the surgery. However, doing what you can to make the recovery as easy on yourself as possible will greatly help move the process along. Below are some tips on how to make your recovery work for you. Ask for help when you are in pain Trust your doctors to make the right decisions when it comes to your pain management after surgery. It is important that you keep to the medication regimen that they put you on, as it will help you both emotionally and physically. The first week of recovery is usually the hardest, so making sure that you have someone around to support you through it is very important. If you are unable to take the stronger pain killers, it is important to find something else to reduce the pain until you reach a point where it is manageable. Ease your pain with ice and heat Making sure that you are comfortable (especially for the first 48-72 hours) after surgery helps immensely with the healing process. Applying ice to the area can help a lot within the first few days at home, especially with pain management. Heat shouldn’t be used until you are slightly more healed, unless it is being used in other areas to reduce stiffness and aches. This is to prevent swelling in the surgical area which can do a lot of harm to your healing wounds. Sleep comfortably Making sure that you are getting a good, uninterrupted, and comfortable sleep will aid in the healing process. Making sure that you are comfortably clothed while you sleep helps with this. So does the correct positioning. Make sure that you are laying on your bed face up, taking care to elevate both your head and your knees. This will help to reduce stiffness and keep the blood flowing where it needs to. Take rehabilitation seriously Back surgery can require a lot of physical rehabilitation depending on which surgery you had performed. It is important to take this rehab seriously and participate in all of the exercises and things that your doctors have recommended. This is to speed up the healing process and get you back on your feet as soon as possible. Many of these exercises involve slowly increasing mobility, giving you back your independence after surgery. Make sure that you are stretching and moving regularly even when you aren’t doing the rehab exercises, making sure that you are keeping the blood moving. Ask about bracing Make sure to ask your surgeon if a back brace is going to be required after surgery. Know what kind it is going to be and how hard it is going to be to get on and off so that you know if you are going to require help full-time.
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