Hands are two of the most vital parts of the body as we use them for work, household chores, school, and other daily activities. Hands are also susceptible to several conditions, including trigger finger, which can only be cured through a trigger finger treatment in Singapore.
The lack of immediate hand treatments impedes our hands’ capability and eventually affects our quality of life. Have you imagined your life without hands?
Besides getting immediatehand surgery in Singapore for conditions affecting your hands, it is also vital to keep up with the aftercare.
What To Expect: Hand Surgery In Singapore
Many hand conditions may require hand surgery in Singapore, and among them are trigger finger treatment, tendon repair, nerve repair, joint replacement, and surgical drainage due to infection.
These surgeries have different downtime periods, complications, and supplementary treatments.
Here are the things you need to expect in yourhand surgery in Singapore:
1. Temporary immobilisation.
Cast, bandages, and arm and hand braces may immobilise your hand movements temporarily. You can wear it for weeks or months, depending on the observation of yourfemale hand surgeon in Singapore and your recovery progress.
2. Limited activities
Because of temporary immobilisation, your activities may be limited, too. You may not be able to play sports and other activities. Sometimes, household chores, such as cooking and laundry, are not allowed for a few weeks or months, depending on your recovery.
3. Rehabilitation
Yourfemale hand surgeon may recommend physical therapy and rehabilitation programmes weeks or months after your hand surgery in Singapore.
These programmes help your hands regain strength, improve mobility, and test their functions.
4. Complications
Complications, such as infections, are likely to develop due to improper aftercare and lack of post-operative monitoring.
Before your surgery, yourfemale hand surgeon will tell you what to expect after the treatment. You can grab this opportunity to ask vital questions, such as the success rate of the procedure, possible complications and side effects, and its overall impact on your life.
After laying down all the expectations, the next step is pre-operative care.
Pre-operative Care: Hand Surgery In Singapore
Pre-operative care is simply the before-care or how to prepare your body for hand surgery ortrigger finger treatment in Singapore.
Here are some pre-operative hand surgery care tips in Singapore:
1. Attend pre-test appointments.
Weeks before your surgery, your female hand surgeon may require you to undergo lab tests, such as blood tests, electrocardiograms, and X-rays. Your surgery cannot proceed without these lab tests and results.
2. Talk to your anesthesiologist.
Your anesthesiologist may want to discuss with you your medication history, alcohol use, and recreational drug use to design your anaesthesia care plan.
Make sure to provide all the medications and supplements you are currently taking. Tell them your allergies to certain drugs. You should also disclose the recreational drugs you are taking, such as narcotics and marijuana.
This information is crucial because these medications and drugs may have an adverse effect on anaesthesia and could put your life at risk duringhand surgery in Singapore.
3. Fasting.
Doctors will tell you not to eat and drink 12 hours before your surgery. It has something to do with the anaesthetic. Generally, anaesthesia stops and relaxes your body’s reflexes, causing your food to go up to your throat during your hand surgery in Singapore.
Your doctor may also ask you to empty your bowel the night before your surgery.
4. Bathe.
Make sure to take a bath before the surgery. Make sure the area that would be operated on, in this case, your hands, are clean to avoid risks of infection.
5. Avoid drinking alcohol and cigarette smoking.
Avoid drinking alcohol three to four days before yourtrigger finger treatment in Singapore. Alcohol traces in your blood could interfere with the effects of anaesthesia and put your life in danger.
The toxins from nicotine in cigarettes may increase the risk of infection.
Make sure to follow your doctor’s post-op instructions carefully.
Now that you know how to prepare for your surgery, the next part will discuss how to take care of yourself after the treatment.
Post-Operative Care: Hand Surgery In Singapore
1. Arm elevation.
Your hands will swell and throb after the trigger finger treatment in Singapore. Elevating your arms can help alleviate the pain.
While sitting or lying in bed, stack several pillows and rest your affected hands on them. Keep the height of the cushions above your heart’s level.
You can do the arm elevation three to four days after your surgery or until the swelling recedes.
2. Keep the dressings intact.
Never wet or soak your hand dressing or cast. Make sure the splints are intact and not too loose to ensure proper support on your hand.
When taking a bath, you can cover it with plastic and secure it with a tie or rubber band to prevent it from getting soaked.
Your female hand surgeonwill tell you when you can remove the cast.
Sutures may require wound dressing changes. Clean the area with cotton damp in alcohol. Do not scrub the suture; dabbing the alcohol swabs is gentler. Use clean gauze or bandages to cover the suture.
3. Avoid strenuous activities.
Your hand’s mobility is limited for a few months, and you may also feel discomfort when using it.
As much as possible, avoid doing strenuous activities, such as carrying heavy items. But you can wiggle, move, and close and open your exposed fingers to exercise your fingers and keep the blood circulating.
Ask your female hand surgeon or physical therapist for gentle hand exercises.
4. Healthy diet.
It is natural to lose appetite or feel nauseous days after your hand surgery in Singapore. Sticking to water and light food is ideal during this period.
Eat a lot of fruits and vegetables the following days. This food will provide vitamins and minerals essential for recovery.
Avoid drinking alcohol and cigarette smoking.
5. Don’t skip medications.
Yourfemale hand surgeonmay prescribe you medications. These drugs are usually pain relievers and pills to fight infection. Take them according to your doctor’s instructions.
Takeaway
If you want successful hand surgery in Singapore, listen to your doctor’s instructions carefully. Following their guide will avoid infections and other complications.
Advanced Hand, Wrist & Nerve Centre
Advanced Hand, Wrist & Nerve Centre provides hand surgery and trigger finger treatment in Singapore. Visit the Advanced Hand, Wrist & Nerve Centre today.