Hernia Recovery: A 5-Step Guide to Healing After Surgery

A hernia is a tear, usually in the inner wall of the abdomen, although they can occur elsewhere as well. According to Dubai Surgery's website, the only cure for a hernia is surgery. As with any operation, recuperation is a process. There will be activities you will not be able to return to right away. By taking the following five steps, you can make the path to recovery easier and avoid any potentially life-threatening complications.

Things You'll Need

• Medications
• Painkillers
• Dressings

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Instructions

• 1

  Abstain from cigarettes, alcohol, food oils or garlic. As the Dubai Surgery website points out, these can all interfere with the body's healing process.

• 2

  Take any painkillers your doctor prescribes you. Pain is most likely to be a factor once the anesthesia wears off, the website says.

• 3

  Wear dressings and bandages as your surgeon advises. Although your doctor will counsel you to wear them for about one to five days, he might suggest you wear them longer, Dubai Surgery says.

• 4

  Take all the medication your doctor has prescribed until it is gone, the website says. Do not discontinue the medicine simply because you are "feeling better."

• 5

  Take plenty of rest, as the Dubai Web site advises. Do not return to work until your surgeon releases you to do so. According to the Mount Nittany Medical Center, authors of "After Hernia Surgery," you should avoid heavy lifting at least for a week. The Dubai Surgery website advises against resuming physical activity, such as exercise, until your physician says that you can.