When Should You Seek Treatment for Post-Surgical Pain?

Surgery can be hard on your body no matter which type of surgical procedure it is. Pain after surgery can be a good sign since it means the body is trying very hard to heal. However, it can also mean that there may be a problem. If you experience pain after surgery, it is important to monitor it, treat it, and seek medical attention under the right circumstances. Here are several cases where you should seek treatment for post-surgical pain.

Pre-surgery Symptoms Continue

If you experience pain after surgery and you still have the symptoms that led you to get surgery in the first place, then you should seek immediate medical attention. The surgery should have addressed or fixed the problems that you were initially having. If the problems continue, it may mean that the surgery was unsuccessful and needs to be addressed by a care provider as soon as possible.

Sharp, Debilitating Pain

If you have sharp, debilitating pain in the area where you had surgery, have it checked by a physician immediately. There are a number of problems that could arise, but the pain that you experience after surgery should not be sharp or debilitating. It could mean that the incision is not closed well, a tool was left inside the incision, or it could be infected. Regardless of the reason, having pain that stops you from living your life after surgery should be investigated.

Persistent Pain

Some amount of pain after surgery is expected in most cases. It is usually minor and can be controlled with pain medications. When pain after surgery persists, does not lessen over time and does not go away in the expected amount of time, you should see your physician as soon as possible. As the healing process progresses, any pain should lessen. It may take some time to get there, but nearly every type of injury should stop hurting over time. Pain that persists is a sign that something is not healing properly. If found early, the problem might be fixable. Don’t hesitate to see your doctor if you have pain that won’t go away.

Limits of Medication

Certain types of medications are effective but are also limited in specific cases. Narcotics, for example, have a limited amount of doses that you can have. Doctors try to prescribe enough to get you through the painful section of your recovery. If your doctor expects your pain to be gone when the medication runs out but it is not, it is time to see your doctor. At the least, your doctor may be able to give you more or a different type of medication and investigate the pain to make sure that you are healing properly.

Having pain after surgery can be scary for most people. Not knowing if that pain is expected or not makes it even harder to deal with. However, you can get help and there is no downside to discussing it with a physician. Talk to a pain management doctor in Orlando to get help dealing with your pain.

To schedule an appointment with a pain management doctor in Orlando, please call (407) 478-0007 or fill out our contact form today.

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