At first you may need to rest in bed with your upper body raised on pillows. This helps you breathe easier and may help lessen post-surgery hernia pain. Cold and Heat: Both cold and heat can help lessen some types of post-op pain.
The best sleeping position after umbilical hernia surgery is to sleep flat on your back with your head on a small pillow. This prevents too much pressure on the incision site and allows for comfortable breathing during sleep. You want your abdominal muscles to be relaxed, and sleeping on your back makes this easy.
Of course, they should not be doing any strenuous exercise, but all patients after a hernia operation, be it laparoscopic hernia surgery or open, should be encouraged to get out of bed as much as possible and move around. Absolute bed rest is no longer recommended for hernia operations.
Soreness and pain upon movement and during sleep are common during the first few weeks of recovery. To prevent further injury and trauma to the hernia repair site, avoid sleeping flat on the sides and back.
Sitting: for several days after surgery sitting may be uncomfortable. You may have to get up and move around and change positions periodically. Stairs: no limitations. Lifting: for the first week lifting is limited to 20 pounds.
Activities You May Perform Soon After Surgery
–On the same evening after surgery you should be able to walk, stand or climb stairs, though you may feel discomfort at doing so.
Avoid strenuous activities, such as biking, jogging, weight lifting, or aerobic exercise, until your doctor says it is okay. Avoid lifting anything that would make you strain.
Don't lift objects heavier than 15 pounds for at least two weeks after the surgery. Don't engage in any strenuous activity for at least two to four weeks after your surgery. Don't remain sedentary all the time - move slowly for around five to ten minutes multiple times throughout the day.
Especially with laparoscopic surgery for Inguinal, umbilical, and not very complex incisional hernias. You can gradually increase your mobility. And can get back to a normal household and office work as soon as you are comfortable, usually within a week. There is absolutely no need for bed rest after hernia surgery.
You should also be able to return to work after 1 or 2 weeks, although you may need more time off if your job involves manual labour. Gentle exercise, such as walking, can help the healing process, but you should avoid heavy lifting and strenuous activities for about 4 to 6 weeks.
Walking a little bit after your hernia surgery can go a long way so keep it to a few brief 5-10 minute sessions per day for the first week or so after your surgery.
Try to avoid vigorous coughing if your repair was done with the open method. Coughing may strain your incision. For a couple of weeks, when you need to cough or sneeze, splint your incision. This means putting pressure over your incision with your hands, a rolled up blanket, or a pillow.
Don't move quickly or lift anything heavy until you are feeling better. Be active. Walking is a good choice. You most likely can return to light activity after 1 to 3 weeks, depending on the type of surgery you had.
You may notice that your bowel movements are not regular right after your surgery. This is common. Avoid constipation and straining with bowel movements. You may want to take a fibre supplement every day.
Male patients will be advised to wear compression shorts or tight fitting boxer briefs for a few days following the repair of their inguinal hernia to help reduce the amount of swelling after surgery. There are no special brands recommended or required, as long as they are tighter fitting.
Mild pain or tenderness may be the only symptoms of hernia mesh failure. In other cases, patients may experience a burning sensation around the surgical site or a bulging area that protrudes through the skin. Bulging may be caused by the mesh dislodging or migrating, which can cause inflammation and pain.
People who have a mesh plug used to repair their hernias often feel the mesh plug. While it's not always painful, some chronic pain issues are likely due to the shape and location of the mesh plug.
VOIDING / URINATING
Occasionally, after surgery, your bladder may become too full with urine, and urinary retention can develop. This may manifest as either: 1) inability to void, 2) frequent voiding, or 3) frequent voiding of small amounts of urine.
It is OK to shower starting around 24 – 36 hours after surgery. If you have bandages on the incisions, take them off before showering. You should see little pieces of tape (called steri-strips) directly attached to your skin. It is OK to get these little tapes wet in the shower.
Patients are counseled that they will likely lose 10–15 pounds during the first 4–6 weeks after surgery before the nadir of weight loss (2).
Consider fruits, vegetables, and whole grains together with healthy proteins from fish, meat, eggs, tofu, nuts, milk and dairy products, such as yogurt and cheese. Avoid high fat and high caloric foods with low nutritional values, such as syrup drinks, French fries, desserts, etc.
There are no medical or physical restrictions on activity after surgery. That means it is OK to walk, climb stairs, lift, have sexual intercourse, mow the lawn, or exercise as long as it doesn't hurt. In fact, returning to normal activity as soon as possible will most likely enhance your recovery.
Normally, you should refrain from driving for at least 1 week after a hernia repair operation. You should be free from the distracting effect of pain or the sedative or other effects of any pain relief medication you are taking.