Not all surgeries have the same rules and requirements to follow before and after the procedure. While you may need to fast before one, you could be encouraged to eat a healthy breakfast before another. Knowing how best to prepare for the various types of surgery available will ensure you’re aware of just what to do before going to get the operation. Even recovery times afterward can vary greatly, making it important to note just how long that recommended recovery time is to make the planning process easier.
Preparing for Hip Replacement Surgery
A hip replacement surgery requires some presurgical testing. Doctors want to be sure blood pressure is normal, the heart is healthy, and the body is otherwise ready to undergo the surgery with hopefully no complications. Weight loss may be recommended before this surgery because it will make hip replacement recovery time faster without extra weight bearing down on the area. It is advised to avoid shaving the legs on the day of or the day before the procedure. Only an antiseptic soap solution should be used during the final shower before surgery day to make sure the area is as clean as possible. It can take as little as twelve weeks and as much as six months to recover.
Preparing for Cataract Surgery
Getting cataract surgery can seem scary, as this means the eyes that allow you to see are being operated on. Following proper preparation procedures, however, will help ensure the surgery can go as smoothly as possible with no mishaps. It will only take about a month for the eye to be fully healed and in proper working order. You’ll need to see a doctor prior to the surgery to determine which lens should get implanted. Some simple tests will help determine this factor. It is also advised to use special eye drops the evening prior to, and skip food on the day of the surgery. Eyesight should be restored within just a couple of days, although it will take longer for the full healing process.
Preparing for a C-Section
A C-section used to deliver a baby is a form of surgery. There are specific rules to follow beforehand to best prepare, including fasting. Doctors may recommend no food or drinks whatsoever for at least six hours before the surgery, and some may even say up to twelve. It is usually not recommended to eat much after the procedure either, at least until some gas has passed. This helps the doctor see if the intestines are functioning as they should. It is also recommended to wait six weeks to start driving after a C-section. Setting up space at home for after you bring home baby is also important during prep time. It can be difficult to get up and out of bed after a surgery that impacts the abdominal muscles. This may mean sleeping on a level surface and keeping everything needed in one place.
Preparing for Knee Surgery
Recovering from knee surgery often requires physical therapy. You will need to learn how to once again handle the weight placed on the knees as you walk. Some certain exercises can help tremendously to strengthen the knees and improve mobility. It may take at least six weeks to notice a change after a basic knee surgery, and closer to three or four months for a total knee replacement. To prepare, you should get the household in order to make it easier to get around. This may mean making up a bed on the couch instead of having to climb the stairs to your bedroom. Practicing a few knee-strengthening exercises will help as well, allowing you to familiarize yourself with the moves you’ll be doing after you’ve had some time to heal.
Surgeries require plenty of preparation so the mind and body are both as prepared as possible to handle what’s to come. Not following these restrictions could have dire consequences that could interfere with the recovery process. It is best to know how to prepare for the precise type of surgery you’re having so you can be as ready as possible to get it done and experience a faster recovery time afterward.
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