Is It Okay To Getting a hot bath after Surgery?

Today we will talk about getting a hot bath after surgery. We will try to understand together what it means to take a bath and what are the risks of taking a shower from inflatable hot tubs? We will also discuss when it is ok to take a bath and what to do if we want to take a bath. Going through surgery is a tough experience that no one enjoys, but it's for your own good, and after everything is done, you are back to normal, and everything is just a memory. Taking a bath or even getting out of bed will seem like the best thing in the world.

Until you had surgery taking a bath was a normal and regular thing that everyone does or at least should every day. Only someone that had surgery in the past will understand that a bath is one of the last things on your mind with all the pain and discomfort that you go through, you can barely get out of bet to have dinner or go to the bathroom. At some point you will feel miserable, and you will start thinking about taking a bath or maybe just a quick shower, but then you remember that the surgeon told you not to touch the water for a few weeks or at least until you go for the after surgery visit to the hospital and he says that it is ok to take a bath.

When is it OK to get a hot bath after surgery?

Technically speaking it depends on what type of surgery you went through. If it was just a small incision using the latest and greatest, the modern Laparoscopic technology you will barely feel like you had surgery. You will be able to take a quick warm, not hot bath or a shower after only a week because the incision is very small and internal trauma is minimal the wound will heal very quickly, and you will be back to normal in no time.

When taking a bath or shower keep in mind that you must not scrub over the incision as the suture strings or stitches that are holding the skin tissue are most probably still there, so you don't want to break it, unless you want to make the emergency room an unexpected visit.

If you had an open procedure don't blame the surgeon, this was most probably needed because he needs enough room and visibility to do the surgery properly. With this type of surgery will be forced you to refrain yourself from taking a bath or a shower for at least two weeks or even more if the incision is not fully healed or until the surgeon removes the suture strings that is holding the incision together so it can heal and gives you the green light on taking a bath.

There are other types of surgeries on which you must stay away from hot baths for even 6 weeks, for example, after Cacesarean section you can only take light showers and even then be extra careful not to touch the incision directly with water. Overall until the incision is completely healed it is not safe to bath yourself. If you doubt about taking a shower, it's much safer to give it some more than taking the risk of an infection which will only delay the healing process.

What if I really want to take a bath?

Taking a shower after surgery is totally up to the type of surgery that you went through if you went through laparoscopic or an open procedure it's best to wait 1 or two weeks at least. Thankfully you can take a quick warm not hot shower as long as you can stand up long enough by yourself.

Depending on where the surgery has taken place you will have to carefully avoid showering that area. Sometimes surgeons depending on the type of surgery you have had will offer you with waterproof dressing to cover the incision making it much easier to take a shower.

When taking a shower, it would be best if someone would be in there to help you. After surgery, your body will be weakened by posttraumatic stress caused by the intervention, or because of the anesthesia especially if you've been put in a deep sleep you will feel very weak for an at least a few days. Having someone help you take a shower can prevent you from falling if you get too tired or you just slip and fall.

They can also help you with soaping your body and rinsing you when done. If you are afraid of even taking a shower there are alternatives as well; you can use a sponge to clean yourself with warm water and soap carefully avoiding the area where the surgery has taken place.

After all, the suture strings and stitches have been removed

By this point in time you should be able to have a hot bath without fearing and infection unless the doctor suggested to, stick to showers for just one more week. Don't be sad; you've come such a long and harsh road, you survived the surgery and its aftermath now it's just a matter of time until you will be able to take back control of the regular routine you were used to

Final Verdict

Finally, I would like to say going through surgery is a tough experience that will weaken even the bravest of us. Taking a bath will be just a sweet memory for at least one or two weeks, and we should be glad that a shower is acceptable and not so health threatening as a bath. After everything is over and you have fully recovered you will feel like a bath is the most relaxing and enjoyable way of washing yourself and you will be very thankful for it.

About the author

Kawsar Ahmed

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