How to heal your wounds more quickly

Whether you’ve had a minor or a major surgical procedure, you may find yourself left with a wound that is both uncomfortable and unsightly. It’s natural to want to make a full recovery and get back to living the way you did before the operation as quickly as possible, but trying to do too much, too soon can actually set back the healing process. Here are some tips on the best ways to get back to your old self.

Stick to your doctor’s orders

If your doctor tells you to avoid swimming, to cut back on exercise or to stay out of the sun in the aftermath of your procedure, it’s best to follow the instructions to the letter, no matter how well you feel. People heal at different rates, and the advice of your doctor will be specific to your particular set of circumstances. Just because you know someone else who had the same condition and was able to resume their regular activities more quickly does not mean the same will apply to you.

Get moving

Exercise will stimulate your circulation and help your body to heal, but it’s important to bear in mind that you are likely to have lost your previous level of fitness and that you will need to start out far more gently and slowly than you left off.

At the same time, don’t be a martyr and struggle to look after yourself at home. Ask friends or family for help, especially for the first few days after your procedure. The more you can rest and avoid unnecessary exertion or movement, the faster your recovery is likely to be.

Attend your follow-up sessions

If you have spent even a short time in hospital, you may have reservations about having to return. However, follow-up appointments are an important part of your care and allow your doctor to be sure you are healing on schedule and that everything is as it should be. One of the biggest dangers of any kind of wound is that it may become infected. A doctor will be able to spot the early warning signs of problems that may not be obvious to you, thus preventing a minor issue from developing into a more serious one.

Choose the right kind of dressing

Consider using hydrocolloid dressings as these do not need to be changed so often meaning your wound has more time to heal between changes. Such dressings are also associated with lower levels of pain. In addition to being impermeable to bacteria, most hydrocolloid dressings are waterproof so you can go about your normal day-to-day activities without worrying that your dressing will get wet and slip off. You can find a wide range of hydrocolloid dressings at this website.

Look after yourself

You are what you eat, and if you want to heal as quickly as possible, you need to be sure you are taking in the right mix of nutrients. Although in an ideal world, you would be eating the healthiest meals you can find, you may not feel like doing so, especially in the first few days following your procedure.

The key is to remember that eating anything at all is better than eating nothing so if you want to splurge on pizza or burgers for the first few days, it won’t do you any great harm. Do bear in mind, however, that protein is the basic material from which your body is composed, so you need to eat plenty of it to give your body sufficient raw material for it to repair itself. You’ll also need to drink plenty of water as your body will work far more efficiently if you are properly hydrated.

Thanks to Wendy