Precautions To Be Taken After Hernia Surgery

Hernias are abnormal bulging of an organ or muscle tissue from a weak point in the muscle layer. It is now being with laparoscopic surgery that uses minimally invasive procedures to cure hernia. This treatment has proved to be effective and safe.

Also, the recovery time has shortened, and the postoperative period is not troubling to the patients.

Precautions To Be Taken After A Hernia Surgery

Hernia needs surgical treatment when it grows immensely and the symptoms become unbearably uncomfortable. However, to support the surgical recovery the patient needs to take precautionary steps to avoid the recurrence of a hernia. Important points to be kept in mind after Hernia surgery: –

• Diet
  
  Diet has always played an important role in the wellbeing of a patient. After hernia surgery, take special care about what foods you should eat or avoid.Due to the anesthesia administered before the surgery, it becomes difficult to digest solid food, hence you will be put under a liquid diet in the initial days of the recovery. The doctor analyzes the condition of a patient and allows the consumption of solid foods accordingly.Also Read: Effective Diet Tips for Hernia Patients
• Effect of Anesthesia
  
  After surgery, the effect of anesthesia takes some time to completely wear off.Local anesthesia may take a few hours and complex anesthesia may take a few days for the effects to completely subside. Only after the anesthetic effect completely withdraws, the patient is recommended a discharge.During this time, it is advised that you don’t drive and ask someone else to drive you. Make sure that you don’t try to sign any important documents.

• Wound Care

  Here is a checklist of do’s and don’ts that can help you take care of the wound after hernia surgery-

  Do’s	Dont’s
  Before touching the wounded area, wash your hands.	Wet the wounded area until the stitches or sutures completely dissolve
  Let the glue dry and flake off on its own.	Wear tight or rough clothes that can rub against the wounds.
  Follow your doctor’s advice on how many times the dressings need to be changed.	Get worked up if you see drainage from the incision.

• Combat PainTo avoid the risk of a headache because of anesthesia, a patient is compelled to lie down flat on their back. This is to be done for a few hours after the surgery. This process may feel quite uncomfortable at times.The wound area remains sore for a couple of days. It is normal if the pain is mild but in severe cases, take the pain-relievers prescribed by the doctor during the discharge. There can be some side effects after consuming medicines such as itching, constipation, difficulty while urinating.
• Bath
  
  It’s advised not to take bath as it may cause the operated area to get wet. Rather than taking a bath, you can try taking a shower so that you don’t wet the wound too much.However, with due precautions, you can take a bath after two days of the surgery.

• Exercises 

  It is better that you try some kind of light exercise such as brisk walking or climbing the stairs. This stimulates bowel movements as well as relieves out constipation.

  You can also start out an exercise plan after consulting with the doctor. Deep breathing exercises should be performed to supply oxygen as this can speed up the recovery.

  Also Read:  Exercises To Do After Hernia Surgery

•   Sex

  There is no restriction on sexual activity after hernia surgery. People feel some discomfort around the incision for a week or so. Let pain be your guide. If you feel pain during some positions, then stop immediately. 

  Talk with your doctor before indulging in sex. They can help you guide better so that you don’t feel any pain or other problems.
  

• Resuming Activities 

  You can go back to work as soon as you feel that there is no discomfort or pain around the incision area. However, if your work involves lifting heavyweight then return after resting for a couple of days. Take enough rest as you are likely to become more tired easily. Don’t exhaust yourself.

Keeps these tips after the hernia surgery in mind during the recovery period for a fast recovery and no post-operative complications.

Also Read:

•  Possible treatments for Hernia
  
• Precautions after Inguinal Hernia Surgery
• Things To Do and Avoid During Hernia