Sometimes, surgery can be frustrating and can cause quite a shock to your body, whether they are simple or complicated and whether the recovery is long or short. Having comorbidities such as diabetes increases that shock and heightens the risk for complications. With poorly controlled diabetes the body heals slower, which can lead to infection and other complications that normally wouldn’t worry someone without diabetes.
How To Have Better Recovery Without Complications?
People with diabetes can recover about as quickly as anyone, but blood glucose levels can fluctuate around the time of an operation and high blood glucose levels can complicate your recovery and prolong your hospital stay.
Ways You Can Improve Blood Glucose Levels – Before Surgery
Start exercising and develop regular physical activity goals with your provider.
Participate in a structured program to lose weight if you are obese or overweight.
Eat nutritious foods in the right amounts and at the right times. Meet with a registered dietitian to create a custom-tailored meal plan.
Take medicines that have been prescribed for you.
If directed by your provider, check your blood glucose and review the results at each visit.
Ways You Can Improve Blood Glucose Levels – After Surgery
Keep tight control of your blood sugar level.
Eat fresh, whole foods and high-quality proteins to prevent infection.
Check regularly for signs of wound infection, especially if you have existing neuropathy.
Watch out for pus or foul drainage, a fever above 101 degrees Fahrenheit, increased pain around the wound, or an incision that is painful, hot to the touch, swollen, or hardening.
Practice relaxation techniques such as controlled breathing, journaling, listening to music, socializing, and begin exercising as soon as you get the doctor’s okay as worry and stress tend to raise glucose levels too.
Takeaway
It is absolutely possible for a patient with diabetes to have a safe and uneventful surgery with a quick recovery. Focusing on blood glucose levels in the weeks leading up to surgery and the weeks after surgery can make a dramatic impact on how quickly the patient heals. So, talk to your orthopedic surgeon to clarify all your doubts regarding diabetic care for before and after the surgery.
Carolina Regional Orthopaedics
Carolina Regional Orthopaedics provides the most effective, modern, and innovative techniques in both Orthopedic Surgery and Pain Management using proven methodologies in both the surgical and non-surgical treatment of all conditions affecting the spine, upper extremities, and lower extremities. We specialize in hand and wrist surgery, joint replacements, sports medicine, trauma care, pediatric orthopedics, pain management, wound care, regenerative medicine, physical therapy, imaging services, and EMG testing.