Each year in the United States, there are an average of 1.7 to 3.8 million brain injuries requiring a neurosurgeon’s intervention. Neurosurgeons diagnose and treat conditions affecting your brain, spinal cord, and nerves, whether they are the result of an accident or an illness.
If you have an injury to your neck, brain, or spine, and are scheduled for neurosurgery, knowing what to expect from the procedure and how to ease recovery can remove some of the fear. Read on to learn tips that neurosurgery in Nashville, TN experts offer for a simpler recovery.
Get Rest
After undergoing neurosurgery, you will need more rest than for other types of surgeries. Your surgical incisions may be sore for about a week, but you will need between four to eight weeks of rest. Avoid working, exercising, and doing anything strenuous.
Follow Your Surgeon’s Instructions
Your surgeon will offer instructions after surgery. The best doctors will offer detailed guidance on the activities you can perform. Do not gauge what you can do on how you feel, but instead follow your Nashville doctor’s advice.
After brain surgery, you may receive steroids or anti-seizure medications. These prevent the brain from swelling. Take the medication as directed.
Turn to Rehabilitation Therapies
Neurosurgery can have effects on the entire body, requiring patients to relearn how to perform certain actions. Common side-effects of neurosurgery include mobility issues as well as confusion and emotional and behavioral changes.
Physical therapy will gauge your level of mobility and help you regain strength, with therapists assisting you in improving physical movements. Occupational therapy will monitor your vision, hand movements, and thinking skills. It will assess how you handle daily activities.
If you had brain surgery, speech may be affected. Speech and language pathologists will evaluate your condition and help you re-learn the connection between objects and concepts.
Watch for Complications
Before you go home after surgery, your brain or spine surgeon will instruct you on what signs spell out complications. The signs that require the quickest response are fainting, difficulty breathing, and having seizures if you have never had them before.
Other, symptoms of complications after neurosurgery can include:
- Trouble talking, hearing, or seeing
- Nausea or vomiting
- Incontinence
- Severe headaches
- Extreme tiredness
- Light sensitivity
- Tingling in the arms, legs, or face
- Confusion, major changes in mood and behavior, hallucinations
Let your surgeons know of these symptoms. Although not life-threatening, your doctor needs to know about them to have a full picture of your recovery process.
Choose the Best Neurosurgery in Nashville, TN
Undergoing neurosurgery is stressful but recovery doesn’t have to be. By following your surgeon’s instructions and getting the right rehabilitation therapies, you can return to your life sooner.
Neurosurgery Nashville, TN, experts like us at the Howell Allen Clinic can guide you through the surgery and the recovery process. We have offered our services for over 40 years, providing the relief our patients need. Contact us today to learn more!
