Self Care for Surgery

Rest and relaxation are vital for healing from surgery. Follow your physician’s instructions. Here are some additional self care tips to help you relax both before and after surgery:

• Be informed about your surgery. Many of your anxieties can be laid to rest by asking all your questions.
• Talk over your fears with a trusted friend or even a professional counselor. Keeping them bottled inside can make you feel tense and overwhelmed.
• Visualize the surgery going smoothly and resolving quickly and successfully. Take time to focus on your breath while you do this visualization. Use this visualization as you are "going under."
• During your hours in rest and recovery, meditate on your breath, allowing your lungs to exhale completely and easily and keeping your inhales very relaxed and unforced.
• You may also want to try progressive relaxation of your muscles. Simply go through each area of your body from head to toes, tensing and holding, and then relaxing each part in turn. Of course, you want to be aware of the part of your body that’s recovering from your surgery and avoid tensing or moving that part until advised by your physician.
• Use a headset and listen to relaxing or sacred music while you are in recovery.

When you are ready and only after you check with your physician, massage can help you recover from your surgery. Though you may not want to receive massage to the area where the surgery was performed, a general massage can improve the circulation of both blood and lymph, bringing much needed oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and carrying away irritating waste products. This can reduce swelling and speed healing.

Another option is a type of bodywork known as lymph drainage massage. This gentle technique can stimulate your immune system, alleviate pain, help you detoxify from medications, and prevent swelling. For best results, several sessions are needed.

Learn more with Less Stress Surgery: A Guided Imagery Relaxation Tape or Prepare for Surgery, Heal Faster: A Guide of Mind-Body Techniques.

The information on this page is provided for educational purposes. Only you know what is best for you and your situation. If in doubt, consult a healthcare professional.