Is It Normal to Retain Water After Surgery? | Surgery typically involves cutting through a patient’s skin to treat their medical condition. For example, a surgeon may treat an injury, such as a fractured tibia or fibula, with open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF). Surgeons treat diseases by removing tumors or performing coronary artery bypass to treat coronary artery disease. Surgeons also treat deformities. For example, a neurosurgeon may perform spinal fusion surgery to treat a patient with scoliosis.
Patients may spend several weeks recovering from a surgical procedure, and some side effects are common. You may wonder if you should expect to retain water after surgery. Let’s look at whether it’s normal to retain water, other common side effects from surgery, and how you can address post-surgery discomfort.
Surgery can cause edema.
Postoperative edema refers to fluid retention after a surgical procedure. There are several reasons you might retain water after surgery. Your body may retain fluids to combat inflammation. Inflammation, or swelling, is a common side-effect of surgery. It’s also possible for you to have urinary retention due to the anesthetic used to sedate you during your procedure.
You may be able to reduce edema with diuretics.
Diuretics prompt your body to produce urine. Also known as water tablets, diuretics prompt the human body to increase urine production and eliminate fluid from the body. Taking SwellNoMore can eliminate edema and related water retention issues. This tablet’s made from natural ingredients, including turmeric, piperine, quercetin, hydrangea root, bromelain, dandelion, and ginger. SwellNoMore helps address everything from swollen ankles to puffy eyes. You must discuss any natural supplement with your doctor before adding it to your diet to ensure it’s appropriate for you and won’t conflict with any medications you’re using.
It’s normal to experience pain after surgery.
Many people experience physical discomfort after they’ve had surgery. Factors affecting the amount of pain include the size of the incision and the location. You may experience minimal pain if your incision affects a part of your body you can keep immobile, while you may have more pain if your incision’s in a part of your body you use to go to the bathroom or eat. You may also feel more pain if you had a significant amount of tissue removed.
You can reduce discomfort with loose clothing.
One way to combat pain is by wearing loose clothing during your post-surgery recovery period. You may find baggy dresses are a good option when you need to go to medical appointments. Other options include wearing jogger pants, lounge pants, or shorts. You can match your bottoms with tee shirts or sweaters.
Sleepwear’s an excellent option when you’re at home, resting. Pajamas made from comfortable materials, such as rayon and spandex, enable you to enjoy a relaxed fit with breathable materials. Pajamas are flexible and won’t pull against you when you shift your body. Since they won’t put pressure on your incision site, you can be confident your pajamas won’t increase your discomfort during your recovery.
It’s normal to experience fatigue after surgery.
Your body’s focused on healing after surgery, and it expends energy promoting the healing process. Consequently, it’s common to experience fatigue. You may struggle with a lack of energy for several weeks while your body heals. The nature of the surgery, length of time your surgery took, and nature of any complications during or after surgery will all affect your recovery time. In some cases, surgical patients may struggle with fatigue for several weeks or months.
Promoting healing and pain management can help reduce fatigue.
The human body needs nutrients to fuel the healing process, and one way to promote healing is by eating a healthy diet after your surgery. Ensure you’re getting the vitamins and minerals you need to help your body recover. You can also help address fatigue with pain medication. Reducing your pain will help you regain energy. It would help if you didn’t overexert yourself, however. Taking time to rest and gradually increasing your activity levels will promote your recovery.
It’s common to retain water after surgery. You may also struggle with pain and fatigue. Taking natural supplements, wearing loose pajamas, and eating healthy foods can help address these issues.