Surgery is usually advised for conditions that can no longer be treated by medicine or non-surgical treatment options. Your hand doctor will help you prepare for the surgery so that you can soon return to doing your regular activities.
The following preparations will make your surgery and recovery less overwhelming:
- Communication
Asking questions helps prepare yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally for your surgery. Your doctor should make you feel comfortable and be willing to listen to your questions and doubts. If you are well-informed and your questions have been addressed, you will be more prepared for your surgery with less anxiousness. Understanding the whole process will make it easier for you to deal with your surgery and recovery.
- Follow Your Doctor’s Advice
After your consultation or pre-surgery appointment, your doctor will take note of the current medications that you are taking and will advise you on which ones to continue and which meds to discontinue several days prior to your operation. Aside from this, your doctor may give you certain advice on the things that you should do as well as avoid in preparation for your surgery.
- Work on Your Schedule
Recovery from surgery may last for a few weeks or even months. Make sure to plan ahead and arrange your work schedule, meetings, and appointments accordingly. Take a leave from work with an appropriate duration that could accommodate the length of your surgery and recovery.
- Smoking
Smoking may have a negative impact on your healing from surgery. Recent studies show that smoking makes the wounds from surgery or operation less likely to close. Wounds also tend not to heal very well. Stop smoking at least two weeks before your surgery.
- Ask for Assistance
Ask for help in advance. It may be from a family member or a close friend. Make sure that they are ready to help you once you get back home to recover. Someone who could care for you, assist you with grocery shopping, gardening, and other household chores, or taking your kids to and from school, among others will make your healing quicker and your experience less stressful.
In need of a hand doctor in Savannah, Georgia? Ensure that you are going to have a successful surgery and recovery by choosing the best hand doctor. Dr. Gregory Kolovich is an award-winning hand surgeon who has completed Doctor of Medicine, cum laude, from the Ohio State University. He also focused on Hand and Microsurgery during his fellowship at Harvard University. He co-developed the Micro C handheld fluoroscopy device and currently serves as President of the Georgia Society for Surgery of the Hand.
If you need a reliable orthopedic surgeon, please contact Optim Orthopedics to request a consultation with Dr. Kolovich. See his 5-star feedback here: Healthgrades.
