How To Prepare Before Surgery

Introduction

Surgery is a branch of medicine that involves physical manipulation of body parts or areas to enable diagnosis, treatment or prevention of diseases. It is a centuries old practice that was used to treat all kinds of injuries and diseases. Surgery is not something anyone would wish for but life is such that this maybe the only way your life can be saved. During the early times, crude surgical tools were often used and therefore the level of surgical success was not as high like what we have today. Body areas that could be successfully operated were also limited and not much before surgery preparations were done. A lot of surgical advancement has taken place since then and almost any part of the body can be operated on using sophisticated operating tools. There is a lot of information available as well on how one can prepare themselves before surgery to increase the chances of the operation and recovery being successful.

Step 1

Many people have fear of any surgical procedure due to its intrusive nature, blood exposure, the resulting pain and possible loss of life. However, these negative aspects are very easy to overcome if you adequately prepare yourself before surgery. It is crucial to prepare yourself before surgery because this determines the outcome that is achieved. There are basic things one needs to do before going for any surgical procedure. The first thing is make sure that the surgery is necessary in the first place. This is done by using qualified medical professionals and seeking a second or third opinion so that, whatever the outcome, there will be little room for regrets. Those close to you should be aware of your surgery for you to ensure their support.

Step 2

It is very helpful to be well informed about the surgical procedure you are about to undergo for you to make informed decisions. Be clear on any potential risks and how to address them. Any do’s and don’ts should be discussed with your doctor. The state of your mind and body is an important before surgery consideration as well and so you need to eat healthy, have quality sleep and do appropriate exercises. You want to drop any health damaging habits like smoking, alcohol drinking, hard drugs and stress-inflicting situations as these may affect the surgery procedure and your recovery. If you are using any medication, your doctor should be aware of this before surgery.

Step 3

Adequate time and finances should be allocated for the surgical procedure. Make sure you pack a hospital bag and it should contain all the essentials you will need during your hospitalization. As much as possible, arrange to have a family member or friend to be with you during the entire period of the surgery. This should done well in advance before surgery so that the person has time to re-schedule him or herself.

Tips

It is important to choose a doctor with whom you can easily relate and one who has sufficient time for you. If you are in doubt of anything or have any concern, consult him or her. Putting any doubts or concerns to rest before surgery helps puts you in a better form to handle the operation and its outcome. Make sure it is clear to everyone the body region to be operated to avoid mistakes being done.

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