Tips To Help With Swelling

Surgery is a stressful event that creates demands on the body and one of the most common and temporary side effect from surgery is swelling. I’ve gathered up a few tips here to help combat swelling after surgery. So let’s start with the basics shall we?

1. First and foremost, drink plenty of water! Water serves a lot of functions in the body and will be particularly good to reduce swelling after surgery. Many patients wonder if adding more water to the body can only make swelling worse, but the truth is that it really helps with swelling. Remember that the human body is made up of 71% water. Drinking plenty of water will help flush out your system and assist with bowel movements. Some of the anesthetics used during surgery and your post-operative medications can cause disturbances to the gastrointestinal system and can contribute to bloating and discomfort. Drinking adequate water is essential for overall good health and it can decrease swelling. You can consume up to 8-12, 8-oz glasses of water a day, to keep your body properly hydrated and reduce the swelling.
2. Adhere to a healthy diet. Your body will need to do some repair after surgery to rebuild the tissues and promote wound closure. Hence, it is essential to consume a good diet. Consuming foods which are rich in proteins, omega 3 essential fatty acids, iron, fiber, vitamins, and minerals as these nutrients help in the healing process in the body and also reduce swelling. Remember leafy vegetables and whole grains are good foods that reduce swelling after surgery.
3. Be careful of Sodium intake. Reducing your sodium intake from foods temporarily may also be a good idea as sodium is a natural diuretic and reduces the level of water in your body. This doesn’t mean you should not have any salt in your diet. However, avoiding prepared foods with high sodium levels is wise for overall health and especially following surgery. Many canned soups and vegetables are prepared with large amounts of sodium and salt. Additionally, deli meats, soy sauce, pickles, potato chips and pretzels are packed with high levels of sodium which increases fluid retention.
4. Invest in healing supplements such as Arnica and Bromelain. These homeopathic remedies help reduce bruising and swelling. It is important to build your nutrient reserves with essential supplements, as this will enable you to have better cosmetic results by allowing your body to repair itself faster, promote better wound healing, limit scarring, and reduce the risk of infection. Having an inadequate supply of nutrients before and after surgery has been associated with slower post-surgery healing, increased complications, higher risk of infection, prolonged swelling, slower wound healing and excessive scarring. For this reason, we carry the VitaMedica Plastic Surgery Pre/Post Program that can help in providing the optimal supply of nutrients that are crucial for healing.

Submitted by: Roshani J. Patel