The prospect of needing spine surgery can be quite stressful, and this type of stress can actually have a negative effect on your body. However, not all stress is bad, as stressing your body to the right level before and after surgery can actually help to improve outcomes. With that in mind, we want to use today’s blog to look at how you can keep bad stress at bay before surgery and how to harness helpful stress after surgery to fuel your recovery.
Preventing Problematic Stress Before Surgery
Your body reacts in a few different ways when you’re stressed. It releases stress hormones that can get your blood pumping and fuel your body’s natural fight or flight response. Stress can also elicit an inflammatory reaction inside the body, which can actually serve to weaken our immune system and our ability to fight off bacteria, which is not something you want prior to your surgical operation. An elevated heart rate and weakened immunity are two things your doctor will want to account for ahead of surgery, so it really pays to try and find a way to destress before your operation.
Relaxing prior to surgery is easier said than done, but it really comes down to taking a few simple steps to feel prepared for the operation. To reduce problematic stress, you’ll want to:
- Become Informed – We find that patients are less nervous and stressed when they are more informed about the specifics of their surgery. We’ll work with you to help you understand why we’re recommending this procedure and why it is the right surgery for you. You won’t be afraid of the unknown if you become informed about your upcoming procedure.
- Focus On The Positives – Try to focus on all the good that will come out of surgery instead of worrying about what could happen if something unexpected occurs. Far more often than not, surgery goes as planned, so look ahead to all of the things you’ll be able to do again in the near future once your spine discomfort is under control. Try to see the positives of surgery instead of stressing over the unlikely negatives.
- Find A Provider You Trust – Patients are less stressed when they move forward with a surgeon they have confidence in, so make sure that your surgeon seems like a good fit. If they are confident they can perform the operation, have a track record of success and can give you reassurance about how they would adapt to anything unexpected during the procedure, they are probably a good fit.
- Pursue Healthy Habits – Finally, many people get stressed out about surgery because they feel like everything is out of their control. While the surgeon will handle the technical aspect, you have plenty of say in the outcome of your operation and recovery. Start improving your diet, cut down on the bad habits and dive into a pre- and post-op physical therapy program to ensure your body is as strong as possible prior to the operation.
Harnessing Healthy Stress
Conversely, pursuing the right amount of physical stress during your rehabilitation can be exactly what your body needs. Exercise and physical stress will help to:
- Strengthen areas that have been weakened due to the trauma of surgery
- Reestablish flexibility and range of motion in an area
- Speed up the healing process compared to rest alone
- Make it easier for you to restore the most physical function
Don’t be surprised if your surgeon and physical therapy team push you to get moving and partake in some early strength training exercises. By working with a professional, you can put healthy stress on your body without overloading it and exposing it to a setback. Knowing how to find that middle ground where you’re pushing your body out of its comfort zone in order to help it become stronger and more functional isn’t always easy after surgery, but we’ll help you harness the power of physical stress to improve your post-op recovery. For more information on how we’ll do this, or for help decreasing stress before surgery, reach out to Dr. Sinicropi and the team at The Midwest Spine & Brain Institute today at (651) 430-3800.
