Post-surgical infections are known to cause quite a few complications in the long term, and hence are best prevented in the first place. The following information on some effective ways to prevent infection after surgery will tell you how you can go about it.
Usually when a person has a problem with any part of his body, the first line of treatment is always conservative in nature. This generally includes the use of antibiotics and, in some cases, resorting to certain exercises or a change in diet. In some cases however, these measures do not work, and hence the only option left happens to be a surgery.
While surgery as a treatment option is relatively beneficial, the chances of infection after surgery, i.e., post-surgical infection, cannot be ruled-out. That makes it all the more important for you to be well-versed with different ways of preventing infection related to surgery.
How to Prevent Post-Surgical Infection?
There is no doubt about the fact that getting a surgery done to get rid of a growth or simply to correct the functioning of any organ is quite stressful for the body. In such circumstances, it is very important to ensure that you take every measure possible to prevent any kind of infection at the site of the surgery, or elsewhere for that matter. Discussed below are some simple things which you can do to prevent infection after undergoing a surgery:
- First and foremost, usually after a surgical procedure, the doctor prescribes a set of antibiotics which are supposed to be taken for a given period. This is given for the precise reason to contain any kind of infection, at the surgical site or systemically. These especially help to keep a staph infection after surgery at bay. You need to take your antibiotics religiously to keep such infection at bay, and ensure the success of your surgery.
- A simple tip to keep infections at the surgical site at bay is to wash your hands every time you are going to touch your wound or surgical site. There exist species of bacteria which reside on your hands, and you never know which one may trigger off an infection at your surgical site. In such circumstances, a simple procedure like scrubbing your hands before you touch your wound can go a long way in preventing an infection.
- Keeping the wound and surgical site clean is extremely important. You need to change the dressing on a regular basis or as advised by your doctor. You can also clean the wound with a disinfecting agent or even a mild antibacterial soap; latter only after consulting the doctor. At the end of the day, you must make every attempt at keeping your wound absolutely clean and dry, in order to prevent bacteria from making it a breeding ground.
- If you have had a surgery that involved your lungs or even had a wisdom tooth extracted, then one of the most important things to do is to give up smoking. There is no questioning the fact that smoking is the most common intentionally induced deteriorating agent of good health. So if you have especially had a procedure done on your lungs, then smoking after a surgery, when you are all the more susceptible, is not a good idea. There have been many incidences of people suffering from pneumonia and various other infections after a surgery due to their failure to abstain from smoking after a surgery. The bottom line – you must quit smoking immediately after surgery to ensure that you don’t jeopardize your chances of a full and healthy recovery.
- If you have a pre-existing condition then you need to ensure that you keep that problem in check during your recovery. Like, if you suffer from diabetes, then keeping your blood sugar levels in check is extremely important so that you don’t end up compromising on your immunity at this crucial point of time. Also, if you have other problems like high or low blood pressure, then you must take your medication for the same on a regular basis.
- After any surgery, your body needs time to heal and recover completely, and therefore you need to ensure that you eat properly and, more importantly, that your diet is proper. You should always eat healthy foods and fruits which give your body all the nutrients that it requires so that it recovers completely at the earliest.
- Keep an eye out for infections and any changes in how your wound looks. If you suffer from fever or feel that your wound is swollen, red or infected, then you should immediately inform your health care practitioner about the same.
It is of utmost importance to avoid falling prey to any kind of infection after a surgical procedure. Prevention of infection is necessary as the entire purpose of surgery may fail if you suffer from any sort of infection at the site of the surgery. At the same time, such infection can also snowball into other complications eventually, and at times, the damage caused may be irreversible.
Taking all these possible post-surgical complications into consideration, it becomes necessary to take all possible measures to prevent surgical infections. In case you do see signs of an infection, you should immediately contact your doctor and seek medical treatment for the same.
