There’s no more important time to stay in tune with your body than after heart surgery. It is essential to the recovery process that you note pain and discomfort. This is especially critical for the incision site and surrounding areas. There are many different things to watch for after your procedure. Along with these you may find it difficult to jump back into regular activities. Giving your body adequate time to heal and fully recover is extremely vital.
Some of the things patients experience after heart surgery are completely normal. They are just a part of the process and recovery. There may be issues that are abnormal after surgery. Reporting these to your doctor is important. In some cases, future visits or hospital stays may be necessary. The more attention you pay to what you are feeling and experiencing the better the aftermath will be.
Pay Attention to Pain
The level of pain that you experience should be monitored and noted. There will be some pain and numbness after heart surgery. This is a common side effect that patients see. If your pain level seems to be close to what it was before surgery, this is not good. You should immediately reach out to your doctor about this issue.
Ease Into Activity
There will be a number of activities that you will have to ease into after heart surgery. Driving is one example of these activities. In fact, most doctors like to determine when their patients return to driving. Generally this is allowed between 4 and 6 weeks after surgery. The type of surgery and its intensity will impact when you’re able to drive. This also relates to other strenuous activities. Patience for the recovery process is absolutely necessary.
Pain and discomfort, when minimal are associated with recovery from heart surgery. Extreme pain in certain areas may relate to further problems with the heart. Your doctor will likely need to see you when this occurs. Paying attention to your body is very important and will lead to better recovery. Patients should also give their bodies the right amount of time to heal from this type of procedure.