Living in the South Florida area provides residents with access to top medical clinics and services. This includes a range of specialized types of medical facilities offering orthopedic services for both treatments as well as recovery and rehabilitation.
One of the specialized types of service options these clinics and practices provide is the treatment of conditions of the hand. When these conditions include hand surgery, patients need to consider both the surgical procedure as well as managing their recovery after the procedure. The specifics of recovery always depend on the specific types of procedure performed, but there are some general recovery guidelines that apply to most procedures.
Immobilization
With most types of surgical procedures on the hand, immobilization of the hand is important to reduce the risk of injury to the site of the operation. The surgical site will be bandaged and the entire hand either bandaged or splinted to limit any potentially damaging movement.
In some cases, immobilization may be required for a longer period of time, or it may only be required at night. Follow all instructions regarding immobilization to reduce the risk of complications during healing after the hand surgery.
Pain Medications
The use of pain medications should be carefully considered by the doctor and the patient. It is not uncommon for some level of pain after hand surgery, so that short-term prescription medications may be required.
For mild pain, over-the-counter types of medications may be effective. Talking to the surgeon and discussing these issues at follow-up appointments can help the patient in making informed decisions.
Rehabilitation
To assist with healing and to safely restore mobility of the hand, attending all South Florida physical and occupational therapy sessions is extremely important. These sessions help to build strength in the hand, stimulate nerves during the healing process and to maximize the range of motion for all joints in the hand post-surgery.