​How To Manage Pain After Surgery

Have you just had surgery, or are booked in for surgery in the near future? Wondering how to deal with the pain that you experience after the procedure is finished?

Pain management can make a big difference for your recovery and overall wellbeing. Let’s take a look at how you can manage pain after surgery.

​Why is post-surgery pain management important?
Getting a good hold on your pain levels after surgery is important for your comfort. But there are a few other reasons why managing your pain is essential for recovery.

Some of the most important reasons include:

• Pain can impact on appetite, so you will often eat very little when you’re in severe and even moderate pain. If you’re not eating, you’re not getting the nutrients your body needs to heal effectively!
• Pain is a major stressor for the body. This can further deplete nutrients and resources your body needs. But it can also affect other factors such as your sleep and inflammation levels.
• Poorly managed pain after an acute situation such as surgery can affect the way that your body processes and interprets pain. This can put you at a higher risk of developing chronic pain or a chronic pain condition.

So as we can see, pain management needs to be top priority after surgery!

How to manage your pain post-surgery
Looking for ways to deal with your post-surgery pain? Every case is unique, but there are some simple tips you can try to relieve your pain.

Follow your surgeon’s advice
Your healthcare team will give you guidance on how long before you can do certain tasks, and how frequently to take your medication. These are given to you for a reason – to manage your pain and healing!

Make sure you follow your surgeon’s advice, and seek their consultation if you need to make any adjustments.

Find a way to relax
Pain can be taxing for the nervous system. But relaxation techniques such as guided meditation may be helpful for controlling the sensation of pain. There are plenty of free guided meditations online and on YouTube to try.

If meditation isn’t your thing, find other ways to relax such as reading or spending time in nature.

Focus on resting frequently and deeply
Your body does its best healing when it is resting. Even if you feel that it’s ‘lazy’, your body is actually hard at work when you’re taking a nap or sleeping! Make sure you prioritise rest that is both frequent and high-quality.

Aim for 8-9 hours of sleep per night as a minimum. If you’re not back at work, switch off your alarm and allow yourself to wake naturally. You might also like to make time for a nap in the afternoon, even it’s only a quick 20-minute rest.

How myotherapy can support your body post-surgery
When it comes to post-surgery pain, myotherapy can offer a variety of support techniques depending on the type of surgery and how long ago your surgery occurred.

For example, your myotherapist can:

• Help to shift excess swelling and fluid that may be inhibiting the healing process
• Address any muscular or joint issues that may be negatively impacting the injured area – for example, your hips, thighs and calf muscles can affect recovery from ankle surgery
• Relieve muscular tension and pressure on other areas of the body that have been ‘picking up the slack’ from the surgical area – for example, using crutches can put pressure on your upper back and arm muscles
• Create a tailored plan for safe movements you can do to strengthen your body as you recover – this allows you return to your usual activities as quickly and safely as possible

Here at Simple Wellness Myotherapy, we are experienced in working with a variety of clients who have undergone minor and major surgeries.

Our goal is to help you on your journey back to your ‘business as usual’ – whatever that may be! To book an appointment with one of our qualified myotherapists, click here.