THE RECOVERY PROCESS

What determines when you go home?
What exercise is best for your back after surgery?
Why is a firm mattress important?
How can you reduce the medication you take?
What preventive measures should you take?

Going Home From the Hospital

In general, hospital stays are becoming shorter, especially for endoscopic procedures. Even though you may feel somewhat uncomfortable at the time you are released, your physician usually will allow you to go home when:

1. your vital signs are stable,
2. you can walk on your own,
3. you can eat without having nausea,
4. you have resumed normal bladder activity, and
5. your wound is healing.

Recovering at Home

Once you are at home and you begin to resume normal activities, follow the guidelines listed below (and contact your physician’s office if you have any questions):

Exercise: Try to do as much as you can. Daily walking is the best exercise. Set reasonable goals, but gradually increase the distance you walk each day. Check with your physician before starting any exercise program.

Sitting and standing: Do not sit or stand for long periods of time. If you have muscle spasms in your back or pain in your leg(s), changing positions frequently should help.

Sleeping: Rest when you feel fatigued, but do not spend all of your time in bed. Please note that waking up with a "stiff" back is not uncommon. For relief, try taking a short walk or a warm shower. If you do not have a firm mattress, invest in one - it is important for proper back support.

Caring for your Incision: Wash your incision gently and pat it dry. If you see any increased redness, swelling or drainage, notify your physician.

Medication

You should gradually reduce the amount of pain medication you take. Begin by increasing the amount of time between pills, and then reduce the number of pills taken each time. A certain amount of discomfort can be expected until the swelling goes down and the nerve sensitivity decreases. Substitute moist heat, gentle exercise and short rest periods for pain medication whenever possible.

Preventive Measures

The best way to avoid the recurrence of a ruptured disc is to maintain a healthy lifestyle. It is important that you:

1. eat a well-balance diet in order to aid proper healing (avoid foods high in calories and fat content),
2. continue to eat a healthy diet in the future to reach and maintain your proper body weight,
3. get the proper amount of sleep,
4. participate in some form of regular aerobic exercise (such as walking, swimming, riding a bike, etc.),
5. take extra care when lifting, bending or twisting, and
6. take care of other health problems, (such as heart disease, diabetes, etc.)

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