Keeping you comfortable following surgery so that your surgical experience is positive is our top priority. Less pain helps with a speedy recovery and the good news is that we have many techniques to keep you comfortable. Yes some pain will accompany the process of healing following surgery but with the proper care you can be more comfortable than you might expect.
First, immediately following surgery you will receive a long acting local anesthetic block so that when you wake up following surgery your foot will be numb. This usually will last most of the day and often even into the evening so that you can get home and back in a comfortable environment.
The RICE method – Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation is used to reduce swelling and pain. Most pain following surgery is caused by swelling. Using the RICE method will help minimize the swelling following surgery. In many cases a Cryo Cuff or boot that continuously circulates cold water around the surgical site is used.
In todays healthcare climate where efforts to reduce prescription drug addiction, there are stronger ant-inflammatory medications available to help reduce the amount of pain relievers containing narcotics. Most patients will usually only require a few days of pain medication.
