Updated October 01, 2014.

Complications and Problems After Surgery

After your surgery is over, it is easy to feel like you are finished with your health issues and you just need to hurry up and recover so you can go about your life. Sometimes it is that easy -- you rest for a few days then you are on your feet and back to your normal life. The reality is that often the weeks following surgery aren’t that simple or easy.

I’m Done With Surgery, Now What About This Incision?

Your surgery is over and it went very well, but now you have this incision you are supposed to take care of and no idea how to do it.

Find out how to take care of your incision and prevent complications like an infection with simple and easy instructions like "wash your hands."

Why Does My Throat Hurt So Much? I Didn’t Have Throat Surgery!

Your surgery is over and your throat hurts as much, if not more than, your incision. Find out why your throat is so sore, why it is normal after surgery and what you can do about it.

My Incision Can’t Be Infected, I Followed Incision Care Instructions!

You’ve been washing your hands and doing all the right things, but your incision could be infected anyway. Find out the signs of infection, what to do if your incision has pus coming from it and when to call the doctor. Is the red area around your incision normal, or a sign of infection?

I'm Having Pain!

I knew I would have pain after surgery but this is a bit much! Find out how to improve your pain after surgery with pain medication or alternative methods of pain control.

I’m Having Trouble Urinating. Really. I Can’t Pee!

You’ve had surgery and now you can’t seem to urinate.

Find out what causes this irritating complication and when it changes from being an annoyance to an emergency.

I’m So Constipated. Help! Make My Bowels Move!

As if having surgery wasn’t bad enough, now you can’t seem to have a bowel movement. Find out why this happens, what to do about it and why ignoring the problem can cause harm to your new incision.

When Can I Take a Bath? I Would Love a Bath, a Swim Would Be Nice Too!

After making do with showers and sponge baths, a real soak in the tub or swim in the pool may sound like a dream come true. Find out when it is safe to take the plunge without hurting your surgical site.

What Should I Eat, If I Ever Feel Like Eating Again?

Are there right and wrong things to eat after surgery? Not necessarily, but there are foods that you can eat that will limit complications like constipation and help improve wound healing.

Feeling Down? A Little Blue After Surgery or a Whole Lot of Blue?

After surgery many people feel, well, yucky. That isn’t the medical term, but it is still a common way to describe the general feeling of recovery. After all, it is normal to feel pain, tired, run-down and lacking in energy. It is also common to experience depression after surgery, which can make you feel tired, run-down and lacking in energy. Learn how to identify the differences between a normal recovery and depression after surgery.

What Did My Surgeon Do to My Blood Pressure?

I had normal blood pressure, then I had surgery. Why do I have high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, now that my surgery is over?

I Think This Is Serious: Emergency Medical Treatment After Surgery

In rare circumstances, a normal recovery takes a sharp turn and leads to the need for emergency medical treatment. Learn how to identify the signs of a serious complication after surgery and what to do if you are facing a surgical emergency.

I’m All Better, Can I Have Sex Now?

You have taken good care of your incision, you’re eaten the right things, you’ve walked around when you didn’t feel like walking around because you knew you would heal faster and you’ve washed your hands a thousand times. Since you’ve been such a good patient and healed so well, surely it is safe to have sex - or isn’t it?