Heal Quicker After Surgery With These 5 Tips
Surgery, no matter the type, asks a lot of your body — and how you approach recovery can make a real difference in how quickly you heal. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with a condition that requires surgery, it's worth talking to your doctor about all your options, including whether you're a candidate for robot-assisted surgery. This minimally invasive approach uses small incisions and offers benefits like less pain, less blood loss, less scarring, and—most relevant here—a shorter recovery time.
Learn more with these five tips to recover from surgery faster..
How to Recover Faster After Surgery
1. Follow Instructions After Surgery
Following instructions means following even the minor directions that may seem silly or unnecessary — there's usually a reason behind them. If your doctor says not to lift anything over a certain weight, or advises against driving for a while, it's to protect you while your body heals. You may feel fine physically, but internal healing is still underway, and skipping instructions can lead to complications like infection, tearing or excessive bleeding.
2. What to Eat After Surgery
After surgery, you may feel constipated or nauseous. Although you may not be hungry or want to eat, it is important to eat a healthy diet that promotes healing.
Certain foods may help with fatigue and also aid in the body’s recovery process. Foods you consume should include:
- B12 and Iron: Iron and B12 both aid bone marrow in forming new blood cells, so incorporate foods like fish and eggs.
- Fiber and probiotics: This combination helps boost the immune system and also keeps your digestive tract moving along. Eating yogurt with granola is just one easy way to get a serving of both fiber and probiotics.
- Protein: Protein is essential to wound healing, so try to get plenty of foods like chicken and eggs.
- Vitamin C: Some research shows that Vitamin C and zinc can help with healing, so eat the recommended amount of fruit each day.
Soft Foods After Surgery
Depending on the type of surgery you have, your provider may recommend eating soft foods after surgery.
Soft foods are easy to chew, swallow and digest. Options may include yogurt, applesauce, oatmeal, mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, soups, cottage cheese and smoothies. Choosing foods that are high in protein can also support tissue repair and recovery.
As you heal, follow your provider's instructions about when to reintroduce other foods. Be sure to drink plenty of fluids and contact your care team if eating or drinking becomes difficult.
Tip: Before surgery, stock your refrigerator and pantry with soft, nutritious foods so they're ready when you return home. Planning ahead can help reduce stress and make recovery easier.
Foods to Avoid After Surgery
While you're focused on nourishing your body, there are some food and drink to avoid after surgery:
- Sports drinks: While it is important to stay hydrated, the sodium in sports drinks can cause the body to retain water, making it more difficult to decrease swelling.
- Sugary foods: Limit your intake of refined sugars as they can lead to increased fatigue due to fluctuation in blood sugar levels.
3. Do Surgery Follow-up Appointments
Even if you are feeling better, it is important to attend post-op visits as your physician will be looking for things you may not be able to see, especially if your incision is internal like with a hysterectomy. Follow-up blood work may also be done to ensure there is no infection, and adjustments to your medication may be needed.
4. Ask for Help
Keeping pain at a tolerable level is important, as too much pain can put you at increased risk for developing a blood clot or pneumonia. If you are in pain, don’t be afraid to ask for help. This can mean asking a family member or friend for assistance with daily tasks, or contacting your provider for assistance with pain management before the pain gets too severe.
5. Get Your Body Moving (Carefully)
As soon as you are able to walk, you will likely be advised to do so by your physician to prevent blood clots and get the bowels moving. Continuing this movement once you are home can help prevent other complications, like pneumonia and deep vein thrombosis. A short walk every hour or two will help decrease the risk for these complications.
Consider Home Care After Surgery for a Safer Recovery
Recovering from surgery at home can be challenging, especially in the first days and weeks after a procedure. If you're worried about managing medications, wound care or following post-surgery instructions on your own, home care services can provide extra support and peace of mind.
UnityPoint at Home offers skilled care tailored to your recovery and well-being. Depending on your needs and doctor’s recommendations, your care team may help with medication management, incision and wound monitoring, mobility support, therapy services and education to help prevent complications and avoid unnecessary hospital visits.
Before your procedure, talk with your surgeon or care team about whether home care services may be right for you. Planning ahead can help ensure you have the care you need when you return home.
Learn more about UnityPoint Health home care and available services or talk to your doctor.