You are here: Home Managing Your ... Surgery 101 Comfort Tips Post Surgery
Information about all aspects of finances affected by a serious health condition. Includes income sources such as work, investments, and private and government disability programs, and expenses such as medical bills, and how to deal with financial problems.
Information about all aspects of health care from choosing a doctor and treatment, staying safe in a hospital, to end of life care. Includes how to obtain, choose and maximize health insurance policies.
Answers to your practical questions such as how to travel safely despite your health condition, how to avoid getting infected by a pet, and what to say or not say to an insurance company.

Surgery 101

Comfort Tips Post Surgery

« Previous

7/7

Coughing

If you have an incision in your upper body, when you cough, you may feel that your incision is going to break apart. A time tested tip is to use a pillow for support when you cough. 

  • If your incision is in the front, hold the pillow against your chest. Fold your arms across the pillow. Then cough.
  • If your incision is on your side, hold the pillow under your arm. Press the pillow against your side. Cough.
  • If your incision is on your back, lean against the pillow. Then cough.

Incision

  • If you are feeling more than discomfort in or near your incision, let your doctor know. There may be an infection or you may not be receiving enough pain medication. (For information about pain, see the Survivorship A to Z document about pain which includes information about medications).
  • Once the bandage is removed, consider applying a cream that will keep the incision site moist and help reduce the size of the scar. Speak with your local pharmacist.
  • Wear soft, loose clothing over the incision.
  • Women: if your incision is irritated by your bra, speak with an expert who works with bras for women with mastectomies. Many department stores and some pharmacies provide this service free of charge.

To Learn More

More Information

Home Health Care 101

Please share how this information is useful to you. 0 Comments

 

Post a Comment Have something to add to this topic? Contact Us.

Characters remaining:

  • Allowed markup: <a> <i> <b> <em> <u> <s> <strong> <code> <pre> <p>
    All other tags will be stripped.