Surgery: Post-Op Care
by Dr. Shelby Worts, BSc, ND
Improve your recovery with complementary care
Even healthy, active people can experience the temporary setback of surgery. Whether emergency, essential, or elective, you can reduce both your pain and your recovery time with appropriate treatments. My patients are always surprised to learn how many effective options are available—and very pleased with the outcomes, as are their surgeons.
I can’t speak for all naturopathic doctors, but when I create a plan to support someone through surgery, I consider:
• Daily protein intake goal
• Nutrients required to support healing—both general and surgery-specific
• Avoiding interference with medications and anaesthetic
• Specific physical practitioners and modalities to help with recovery. These may include Graston scar therapy, aqua therapy, chiropractor, osteopath, massage therapy, physiotherapy, acupuncture, personal trainer, etc.
• Reducing pain and inflammation first through diet, and then incorporating appropriate supplements when the patient is ready to wean off pain medications
• A timeline to start intravenous nutrient therapy to support healing and recovery
Not all surgeries require the same plan. While there may be foundational recommendations that are common to all, there are differences among the types, such as bone surgeries (fracture, joint replacement), organ removal (gallbladder, colon, breast, uterus), gland (thyroid, ovary), skin (cancer, cosmetic), etc. Each will require special focus to compensate for either what is now absent (e.g., bile from the gallbladder) or an increased need for tissue-specific nutrients (e.g., bone formula after a fracture).
Ideally, a date for surgery is scheduled months in advance, which gives us time to focus on essentials like muscle building, reducing inflammation, boosting nutrient intake, and building a health team for optimal recovery.
However, the need for surgery can also arise suddenly. Because we can’t anticipate the latter, I recommend all adults (especially those over the age of 30) focus on an active lifestyle—including strength training. The forced inactivity following most surgeries can lead to muscle loss (you may be surprised how quickly), so the more muscle you have prior to surgery, the better.
Some nutrients that can be helpful for general healing include: zinc, magnesium, calcium, vitamins C, B, and A, protein, collagen, MSM, and arnica.
South Georgian Bay provides a great environment for an active lifestyle—let’s help you continue to have fun out there, and also get back up when injury may take you down!
*These are general suggestions and should not be interpreted as medical advice. Discuss this with your qualified healthcare practitioner, especially if you are pregnant, taking medications, or dealing with a chronic disease. These suggestions are not intended to replace the importance of creating healthy sleep habits.
