After undergoing surgery, patients often experience weakness, pain, and mobility issues. In most cases, these symptoms clear up within a few weeks without intervention. However, some people experience serious post-surgical issues that need to be addressed by a professional. 

Whether you’ve experienced mild complications or serious issues after surgery, chiropractic care can be a huge help. 

 

What Are Some Common Complications After Surgery?

There are numerous issues that can develop after surgery. Many of these problems relate to the specific region of the body which was operated on. Furthermore, the particular body system that was involved in the surgery bears consideration when discussing potential complications.

General Post-Surgical Complications

The following issues are ones that most people experience after surgery, regardless of the type of surgery or body region.

Pain

When a surgeon cuts into your body, you can expect to have at least a little bit of pain after the fact. Post-surgical pain is usually completely normal. The discomfort will resolve as the tissues begin to heal. Healing happens along different timelines for every patient. So, don’t be concerned if it takes you a few weeks longer to resolve your pain than it took your neighbor!

Weakness

If you’ve undergone orthopedic surgery, you will probably have quite a bit of weakness in a given area. For instance, after a rotator cuff repair, patients generally have great difficulty using their arms for weeks or even months after the fact.

The same idea applies to almost any kind of surgery. Case in point, after cardiothoracic surgery for a heart issue, patients will have significant weakness throughout the entirety of their bodies. In many cases, the rehab component after surgery is almost as crucial as the surgery itself. Exercising and moving after surgery is the only way to restore the strength that was lost.

Stiffness/Limited Range of Motion

Before, during, and after a surgical procedure, patients will often have stiffness in an area of the body. This is often a short term complication. However, if patients don’t take their rehab seriously, this stiffness could remain for a very long time.

 

Abnormal Surgical Complications

While there are many complications that one should anticipate following surgery, there are some serious issues that also need to be monitored.

Infection

One of the biggest concerns surgeons have is that of infection. If the surgical site gets infected, patients can face devastating consequences. In mild cases, they will have long term pain and limited motion. In serious infection cases, patients may lose their limbs or even pass away.

Therefore, surgical teams are obsessive about ensuring that patients keep their immune systems strong and healthy after surgery. Also, operating rooms are kept immaculately clean during all procedures.

With all of that being said, if you ever expect that you have developed an infection after surgery, contact your doctor immediately.

Non-Healing Wounds

Sometimes, for one reason or another, wounds don’t heal in the expected time frame. When this happens, surgeons may need to intervene and fix the issue. In other cases, the wound may just need some extra time to heal. After all, everyone is different and healing can happen on slightly different timelines.

 

Chiropractic Care Post-Surgery

Chiropractors can be an integral part of the rehabilitation process. As you are progressing in both strength and endurance after surgery, you may develop some spinal stiffness. If so, one of the quickest and most effective treatments is a spinal manipulation.

Chiropractors ensure that your spine is in optimal alignment to promote healing and reduce pain. In this way, your chiropractor makes sure that your rehab progresses in the proper time frame. You’ve got things to do, you shouldn’t be kept down by post-surgical pain and stiffness!

If you’re looking for a chiropractor in Lithia, FL, look no further than At Last Chiropractic. Our professional team would love to help you with any post-surgical issues you may be having, or any pain you’re experiencing in general. Book your appointment now!