Category: Postoperative care

Effective pain management after surgery can significantly improve recovery time, patient satisfaction, and reduce the length of hospital stays. Therefore, what is a common painkiller given after surgery is often not a single drug, but a combination of different medications and therapies tailored to the patient's specific needs.

Headaches are a common post-surgical complication, affecting a significant portion of patients, particularly those with a pre-existing history of migraines. Deciding what is the best medicine for headaches after surgery is a critical step in a comfortable and safe recovery, as the right approach depends on the headache's cause and severity.

Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), a primary cause of stomach discomfort after surgery, occurs in approximately 30% of all patients and can affect up to 80% of high-risk individuals [1.5.2, 1.5.4]. So, is stomach pain a side effect of anesthesia? The answer is complex, involving the anesthetic drugs, the surgery itself, and postoperative medications.

The traditional recommendation of prolonged bed rest for 6 to 24 hours after spinal anesthesia has been largely abandoned based on modern evidence. Today, the question of **how long is bed rest after spinal anesthesia?** is answered with a focus on early mobilization to promote faster recovery and reduce complications.

Postanesthetic shivering (PAS) is a common phenomenon, with studies reporting it affects between 20% and 70% of patients recovering from general anesthesia. While it can feel alarming and intense, getting the shakes after anesthesia is a normal physiological response as the body regains its thermal equilibrium.

According to the American College of Surgeons, multimodal pain management, which can involve non-opioid options like anti-inflammatory drugs, is the first line of defense against postoperative pain. Choosing what is the best anti-inflammatory after surgery is a nuanced decision that depends on a patient's specific health profile and the type of procedure.

Following major surgery, particularly orthopedic procedures, a patient's risk of developing deep vein thrombosis (DVT)—a dangerous blood clot—is significantly elevated due to reduced mobility. To combat this, healthcare providers use a combination of mechanical devices and pharmacological treatments, which are the things they put on your legs after surgery, to enhance blood flow and ensure a safer recovery.