It is said that pain after a thoracotomy is among the most severe post-surgery pains--and it's likely that your patients would agree. You know just how much of an obstacle to healing pain can be, bringing obstacles and possible complications, but luckily, there are answers. With respiratory splinting, managing post-thoracotomy pain is easier than ever.
You're a professional. You're likely interested in the medical field and all of the beneficial and, frankly, kind of amazing advances that it makes--but at the end of the day, what's most important to you is knowing how these advances can help your patients get healthy quicker and more comfortably. That's just what one study set out to prove--and the results about postoperative bras could revolutionize healing for cardiac patients.
A significant part of successful heart surgery rehabilitation is taking the proper amount of time to recover. Going into your heart surgery, know that you will not be fully healed for at least six to seven weeks. During this time it will be vital that you rest and nurture your body.
Preparing for heart surgery is just as important as setting yourself up for a successful recovery. Once you leave the hospital, it will be up to you to make sure your body is healthy. Heart surgery recovery does not need to be overcomplicated if you take the right steps. Here are three things to know.
Following surgery, it will take up to a week before you can leave the hospital. After four or five days of rest, you should be able to walk around and go up and down stairs. Patients do not leave the hospital with pain medication any stronger than Motrin or Tylenol so by the time you can go home, you will still be sore but not in an excruciating amount of pain.
Everyone goes through cycles of health, but certain symptoms point to larger problems. Heart health experts tend to look for issues such as chest pain, dizziness, and shortness of breath. If any of these have occurred to you recently, read on to learn about heart valves and health upkeep.
While heart valves are essential for the functions of our body, it can be difficult to know when problems are arising. For instance, if you are used to performing certain activities with ease and are suddenly tired very easily, it can be a heart health issue. Same goes for feeling tired all the time in general. Also, if you feel lightheaded, dizzy, or experience fainting, you should see a doctor. Chest pains or irregular heartbeat are addition symptoms of problems.
With medical technology, these days, these procedures can be considered somewhat “minor”; however, recovery time is not overnight. So proper preparation is key to a successful recovery.
After cardiac surgery, the sternum needs special care. Protecting it is one of the biggest and most important steps in the healing process--and that's because the risks are especially high. One possible complication is sternal dehiscence, which, while painful and dangerous, can be avoided with the help of proper care and sternum support.
Sternal dehiscence occurs when the sternum separates completely into two parts. It is sometimes related to infections of sternum wounds, and is linked specifically to certain types of cardiac surgery. Females are at greater risk than males, but there are risk factors that increase the chances of sternal dehiscence in both genders, including smoking, obesity, multiple operations, and more. The most important things to know about sternal dehiscence are:
There are a lot of components to consider when it comes to healing after heart surgery, but one of the most important components is the treatment of the sternum. In truth, the sternum is actually a broken bone at the beginning of the healing process--but is it treated as such? Are there extra considerations? Here's a closer look.
When it comes to any broken bone, there are four basic principles of management--and they're an important part of how the sternum is treated after heart surgery. They are as follows:
The healing journey after cardiac surgery looks different for each patient. Some patients need more time to heal, while others want to be back on their feet as soon as possible--but one thing that all patients struggle with is pain. Pain is a universal part of the healing journey, and, luckily, there's a solution that's just as universal: sternum support.
Sternum support doesn't just make patients more comfortable--it actually speeds healing and limits the risk of complications. That's why sternum support devices are such a crucial part of the healing journey. The best part is that there is a perfect device for every patient, which means that the advantages of sternum support can really be universal. Don't just take our word for it, though--here are a few real benefits of sternum support that any patient can enjoy.
When it comes to cardiac rehab, it's important for patients to have all the facts--not just because this is a crucial part of the healing process after cardiac surgery, but because patients who have heard certain myths will be more likely to skip rehab. Here are three popular myths and the truth behind them.
Our experts understand that the healing process after heart surgery can be long and not always easy. However, when hear-say is keeping patients from taking part in the counseling, exercises, and education of rehab, then they miss out on all the benefits--and the journey to healing suddenly gets a lot harder. Here's a look at the biggest obstacles patients see:
