Surgery is going to hurt
This is not medical advice.
I’ve had several people approach me and ask if I was writing about them. No, these articles are a collection of thousands of interactions.
I know that title sounds really stupid, but we see many patients who don’t understand that they will have some lingering pain, weeks after surgery.
Sometimes people have such horrible arthritis, and let it go so long, that they start feeling better within days. On the other hand, some people will ask me why their knee hurts, 2 weeks after a total knee replacement.
This article could have been titled, “Newsflash: Someone cut your leg off!”
The big picture
I am not suggesting you don’t have surgery. That’s a decision between you and your surgeon. Just have some reasonable expectations.
Your body doesn’t understand that surgery may be beneficial. Your body only knows that you experienced severe trauma.
In the case of a total knee replacement, someone cut all the way down to your bones, and cut off each end. At least in the Civil War, they may have tried to cut through the joint, and not the bone.
Yes you were likely asleep for the surgery, however, when you wake up, the trauma is there for the body to react to.
The reaction is for survival. There has been major trauma, and the body is going to start with the inflammatory process to try and fix the problem;
Inflammation brings the circulatory process for healing.
Pain tells you there was a problem, maybe you should take it easy.
Weakness is a normal reaction. The body may decrease muscle action for protection.
Expectations
My impression is some surgeons are worried about the person who sits and does nothing after surgery. So they encourage more movement. “Do what ever you want.”
Most people I meet (medical people included) do too much after surgery, too soon.
You should gradually be feeling better. Your body with tell you if you are doing too much, too early.
Prevention
Are their times and situations where you might be able to avoid surgery?
If you do have surgery, consider these pointers for success.
