Going in for surgery while having a cold is quite an issue for many people. The following HealthHearty article gives you details about the relationship between surgery and a head cold.
Symptoms such as a run down feeling, nasal discharge, headache, post nasal discharge, congested chest, mild fever, and body pain are typical signs of a cold. Is it possible to carry through with a surgery if one has a head cold? There is a common misconception that this is not possible. However, that is not the whole truth.
In the following sections of this HealthHearty article, we will explore this in more detail.
Surgery with a Head Cold
Very few research studies have been conducted that go into detail about whether a head cold can affect the success of surgery, hence, it is very difficult to say if one should go ahead with the surgery or not. The best person who can take the right decision for you is your doctor, who will analyze your health background and take the final call regarding the question―can you have surgery with a cold.
According to scientists, health researchers, and doctors, the decision regarding surgery is subject to change for every individual. It largely depends on the type of surgery, the type of anesthesia, age and general health of an individual, and the personal preference of the person. However, according to health experts, an absence of the following factors signifies the green signal for the surgery. Those factors are as following.
No Temperature:
If an individual suffering from head cold does not have fever, then it is considered safe to go for surgery. However, patients with high fever are always suggested to postpone the surgery as high temperature can create complications during an operation.
Clear Chest:
People with choked and congested chest are also advised to postpone the surgery. Congested chest can be a problem for many surgeries, such as, heart surgery, lung surgery, or any other respiratory system surgery, etc., where having a clear and healthy chest is very important. A clear chest helps in faster recovery and minimizes the risks during the surgery.
Normal Breathing:
It is also essential for a head cold sufferer to have no difficulty in breathing. In many surgeries, patients are made unconscious before the surgery begins and at this time it is important for a patient to breathe normally and involuntarily in the state of unconsciousness. Hence, patients with breathing difficulties caused by head colds are asked to cancel the surgery till they recover from the head cold completely.
Other Factors:
Apart from this, children, elderly patients, and people with weak immune systems are advised to not go in for the surgery until the head cold symptoms have completely subsided or until they have recovered from the head cold completely.
There are certain things that you can do in order to undergo surgery on the stipulated date. As said before, first, you must visit your doctor and inform him about the head cold and the kind of symptoms that you are suffering from. After the analysis of your medical history and current health status, your doctor will tell you about the final decision regarding the surgery. The doctor may also prescribe certain course of medication or over-the-counter drugs that one can take to experience relief from the symptoms of head cold. If not, with the help of some effective home remedies for head cold, one can try to alleviate the symptoms and contact your doctor when they feel better. It might just help if you get rid of the head cold before the day of the surgery.
Whether or not you can have a surgery when you have a head cold, depends on what your doctor recommends. Visit your doctor and seek his advice.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is solely for educating the reader. It is not intended to be a substitute for the advice of a medical expert.