How to Reduce Pain after Plastic Surgery
Every surgery is bound to produce some amount of pain. Especially with procedures like liposuction and breast augmentation, a serious change has been made to the body, and it responds with pain as it begins to heal. Some pain is normal, and there are many ways to mitigate this kind of pain. Pain that does not respond to these methods may indicate a more serious problem, and should be discussed with your surgeon as soon as possible.
How to Measure Pain
Some people are uncomfortable when they hear that there will be pain after a plastic surgery. More begin to have serious anxiety that their main is indicative of a severe complication with the surgery, however, this is rare and the difference between the normal, expected kind of pain and the worrisome kind of pain will be fairly obvious.
Most doctors rate pain on a scale from zero to ten, where zero is zero pain, and ten is the worst pain a person has ever experienced. Breast augmentations, liposuctions, rhinoplasty, lifts, and tucks will all have a normal amount of pain, in the zero to six area. Level six pain could be described as noticeable, constant pain, but which still responds to pain medications, which your doctor will give you. The time to become concerned is when the pain does not lessen, even directly after taking your medication.
How to Reduce Pain
Any pain can likely be managed with the pain killer the doctor prescribed after the procedure. What kind of medication he or she gives will depend on the patient’s specific medical history and personal pain tolerance. These might range from a double-strength acetaminophen tablet to a narcotic like hydrocodone. Some women do not even take the medication after the first day or two of recovery.
Making sure to follow the doctor’s specific instruction regarding activity level, will also help to reduce pain after a surgery. This ensures that no undue strain is put on the area, which might exacerbate any pain. This, in conjunction with a pain-relieving topical cream or gel, can significantly reduce the need for any medication. It is important to ensure that none of this gel or cream is placed on the incision site.
Recent advances in plastic surgery make all procedures less painful over all. Because smaller incisions and smaller disturbances are made to the body, the body responds with less pain. Most women find the pain after surgery to be completely tolerable or even non-existent, especially if they stick to their surgeon’s instructions. Cool compresses, topical applications, and pain killers are the most common and effective ways to reduce this pain. As the body heals, patients will feel less and less of a need to use medications, and begin to move around more, which will in turn continue to speed up the healing process. Always follow the surgeon’s express instructions concerning post-operative pain management, and call if there are any signs of particular distress or edema.
Contact Jefferson Plastic Surgery to schedule a consultation.