If you know that you are facing a foot surgery in the near future, then you have probably been concerned about what happens after the surgery. You will want to know how much pain to expect, how much you will need help from others, how long you will be down for and anything else that is a personal concern to you regarding the healing process you will go through after surgery. While there are many different types of foot surgeries, since there are many types of foot ailments, the healing process from surgery can be similar in most cases. Here are some of the things you may be able to expect after you come home from having surgery performed on your foot.

You can expect some pain

Pain is a normal expectation when you have any kind of surgery done and foot surgery is no exception to this rule. However, the doctor should send you home with a pain medication to help you get through the hardest part of the healing process. The type of medication they send you home with will depend on several factors including the amount of pain they expect you to experience, the type of procedure you had done, your pain tolerance, your medical history, and any other factors they feel are relevant.

No matter what type of medication they give you, it is important to take the medication at the time the next dose is due, not later. Putting off taking the meds until the pain comes back is only putting yourself through unnecessary pain for no reason.

If you receive narcotics, make sure you drink plenty of fluids and consider taking a stool softener because narcotics can be constipating. If you will be taking anti-inflammatories, make sure you eat with them because they can be hard on your stomach.

If the doctor has ordered you to take a blood thinner or even just baby aspirin, make sure you follow their instructions and take these as prescribed. They will have been ordered to help prevent you from developing clots which can happen after foot surgeries that leave you on bed rest for a while.

You will need to tend to the bandage and wound care

You will more than likely have a bandage wrapped around your foot for added protection and there will be a bandage covering the surgical site. Follow the doctor's instructions regarding how often to replace the bandage and how to care for the wound. When you look at the wound you always want to pay attention to how it looks and call the doctor if something doesn't look right. For example, if the area around the site is red, swollen and hot to the touch, this may be a sign of infection. If there is green puss then you definitely want to call the doctor, as this can be another sign of infection.

If everything looks fine, reapply the bandage to your foot the way the doctor showed you, then put the bandage wrap back around your foot for extra support. Follow the doctor's instructions regarding how long to rest and when to start walking. You don't want to walk too soon and you don't want to stay in bed longer than you should.

Walk in your boot

After most foot surgeries, the doctor will give you a walking boot. As soon as you are supposed to be up and walking around, you want to be sure you use the boot. It is very important because it protects your foot and supports it. Not using the boot can lead to serious problems because you can end up injuring the surgical site or putting too much weight where it shouldn't be.

For more information, contact a clinic, like East Village Foot & Ankle Surgeons , in your area.