Whether you are getting a rhinoplasty, breast augmentation, facelift, or any other surgical procedure from UMass Memorial Medical Group, it’s important to know what you can expect while in recovery. Even though we will do our best to ensure that you are comfortable while you are recovering at home, it’s up to you to be able to distinguish between normal recovery pains and something more serious like a postoperative infection. Although rare, a postoperative infection is still a possibility. From a fever to slow healing time, this article will discuss three signs that you have a postoperative infection. Read on to learn more.
Fever
If you have a fever and chills when you are home recovering, this is a huge sign that you have some sort of infection. A fever is your body’s number one way of letting you know that it is working in overdrive to fight an infection. Try taking an over-the-counter fever reducer and keeping a close eye on your fever for about 24 hours. If your fever doesn’t break, make sure to contact our office right away and we will get you in.
Pain
Pain is a normal part of recovering from any type of surgical procedure. For the first few days after your surgery, you can expect to be in the most pain but you will usually be given some painkillers to help you feel comfortable. If, however, your pain isn’t getting any better or is getting substantially worse, then you may have an infection.
Slow Healing Time
Your body is a unique machine and as such, with a lot of rest and recovery, it should be able to quickly heal itself after surgery. When you have an infection, your body isn’t able to heal itself nearly as quickly as it is when you are healthy. Pay close attention to the incision site, swelling, and bruising. After just a few days after surgery, you should notice some improvement in all of these areas. If there isn’t any improvement or if it’s worse, contact our office right away.
Recovery is one of the most crucial parts of any surgical procedure. To ensure that you aren’t suffering from a postoperative infection, pay close attention to the symptoms listed above. To learn more or to schedule an appointment with our office,contact UMass Memorial Medical Group today!
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