Although anesthesia makes it so that patients aren’t uncomfortable during surgery, the operation will result in significant trauma to soft tissues in your body, and there will be some pain once the anesthesia wears off. Doctors and surgical teams work closely with patients to help them manage this discomfort after surgery, but the goal isn’t to completely drown out pain, because overreliance on painkillers can present its own health hazards. With that in mind, today’s blog focuses on some of the ways doctors and patients can work to reduce reliance on painkillers following knee replacement surgery.
Reducing Your Need For Opioids After Joint Replacement Surgery
A joint replacement operation involves more trauma to soft tissues than other types of operations, like scopes or decompression operations. The doctor is completely reworking a damaged joint, and recovery is going to be a bit uncomfortable. That being said, there are ways to reduce pain, make it easier to handle and to reduce your reliance on painkillers. Here’s how we work to do that.
- Minimally Invasive Techniques – Dr. Botero has worked to perfect a minimally invasive knee joint replacement procedure. From a technical standpoint, the procedure requires greater skill from the surgeon, but it is just as effective as the standard technique and it is less taxing on the patient. By pursuing a surgeon who can limit trauma on the joint by using minimally invasive techniques, you’ll be in less pain after your operation and in turn have a reduced need for painkillers as your recover.
- Managing Expectations – It’s important that the patient understands that they will have some pain after the procedure, and oftentimes it’s the provider’s job to ensure they understand this. Mentally preparing for pain can actually help you prepare for what’s to come, and pain will not seem as daunting. If you come in expecting not to experience much discomfort, it can throw off your recovery if pain becomes a bigger burden than expected. Pain won’t be overwhelming after a procedure, but it won’t be non-existent either.
- Early Movement – The first hours and days after your procedure are crucial for your recovery. Early movement helps to strengthen the area, expand range of motion and promote overall functional improvement. If the area is strong, stable and functioning as intended, pain levels will be low. Not challenging your knee with early movement and exercise can lead to muscle atrophy, scar tissue formation and joint instability, all of which can lead to long-term joint discomfort. When your surgeon or physical therapist pushes you to do some exercises, they aren’t doing so because they want to make you hurt. They are doing so to help increase function and reduce long-term discomfort.
- Use Medications As Directed – It’s also imperative that you use medications as directed by your surgeon. Don’t take painkillers outside of your normal schedule to try and stay ahead of pain. Take your pain medication as described by your doctor, and talk to them if you have any questions or concerns about the medication or how it’s helping you drown out pain.
- Practicing Mindfulness – You’re going to have some discomfort as structures heal or during therapy exercises, so many people find it helpful to practice some mindfulness techniques. These techniques help to change how your brain understands and interprets pain. Techniques like deep breathing and meditation can help draw your attention away from pain signals. You won’t be able to completely block out pain, but you can learn how to train your brain to react differently to pain sensations, making them less bothersome.
If you can do these five things, we’re confident that you’ll be able to reduce the effect that pain and discomfort has over you during your recovery. And as we mentioned above, if you want to trust your knee procedure to a specialist who is trained in less invasive techniques that can greatly help reduce trauma and pain, reach out to Dr. Botero and his team today at (865) 558-4444.
