How to Treat Hernia Surgery Pain

The best method to treat hernia surgery pain will be determined by whether the surgery was laparoscopic or open hernia surgery. If possible, hernia repairs are made through a laparoscopic procedure as a way to reduce the amount of pain following surgery. For those individuals who have medical conditions that warrant an open procedure, or the hernia is too large for laparoscopic intervention, an open surgery is performed.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Control Hernia Surgery Pain

1. Keep activities within the scope of your discharge instructions. Returning to work or participating in strenuous activities before the incision is healed can cause unwanted results as well as increased pain.
2. Walk to stretch the muscles and increase the blood flow. This will promote healing and help relieve the pain.
3. Take pain medication as prescribed by your doctor to treat pain. It's important to be able to move around, and it's easier to do when you're not hurting. Just be alert for side effects of some pain medications such as dizziness and drowsiness.
4. Drink plenty of liquids and eat lots of fiber to avoid constipation. The last thing you need when you've had hernia surgery is to deal with constipation. It will intensify the pain considerably.
5. Use ice packs in the area of hernia surgery to help reduce swelling. This will help relieve the pain related to pressure around the incision site. Unless otherwise directed by your doctor, leave the ice pack on for 20 minutes and off for 20 minutes the first day, then as needed after that. Never leave it on, though, for more than 20 minutes at a time.
6. Realize that incisional pain is associated with an open hernia surgery. The incision site will be larger than that of a laparoscopic procedure. You will need to follow the protocol for showering and bathing because of the sutures or staples used to close the incision.
7. Observe your child for indications of pain related to hernia surgery. It's important to control activities such as running, jumping, and rough-housing to reduce the chances of injury. Pain medications prescribed by your pediatric surgeon should keep your child pain free.

Tips & Warnings

• Plan a special treat for your child for a couple of days following a laparoscopic hernia repair. Choose some quiet time events with his help. Make the plans prior to surgery so he feels he has some control.
• Call your doctor if you develop a fever in excess of 101 degrees F or if the pain intensifies. This may be a sign of infection that requires immediate intervention.