Recovery and Aftercare
After a hernia repair without mesh

_____

”The pain was not too bad”

We often hear this from our patients afterwards. You can, for example, walk out of the clinic yourself after the operation.

_____

Back to work in two weeks

Work that requires minimal physical effort can be resumed even after one week.

_____

You can count on us

After the operation we are there for you to help you recover in an optimal way.

Directly after the operation

After the operation you can walk out of the clinic yourself and you will be returned to your hotel room. The first phase of recovery begins here as you need plenty of rest. Depending on the surgeon’s advice you stay in a hotel in the area for several more nights (one to five nights). After you have recovered sufficiently you are allowed to go back home, no further aftercare is needed from this point on.

Some tips for the first period

Please wait 24 hours before taking a shower
Avoid taking a bath during the first two weeks
Avoid swimming pool and sauna for the first two weeks.
Put pressure on the wound with your hand if you have to cough, sneeze or go to the toilet.
Prevent constipation by drinking enough and eating enough fibers. You can also use a laxative to soften your bowel movements.
If you do light work, you can return to work after one week. For heavier work we recommend that you wait four weeks and in this period do not lift objects that are heavier than 10 KG (22 lbs).

Possible inconveniences after the operation

Swelling
After the operation you will feel a swelling under the surgical wound: this swelling feels like there is a tiny sausage under the skin. You do not have to worry about this, this is a normal phenomenon and is part of the recovery. The swelling gradually disappears within a few weeks.

Bruising
There may be bruises around the wound, this is also a normal phenomenon. The bruise can move downward into the penis or labia and gradually disappears after a few weeks.

Sensitivity
Around wound it may be sensitive in the first weeks. This is because several nerves are numbed during the operation and it takes longer before they are fully recovered.

Sports and exercise after a hernia operation

After the operation you can eat and drink as you normally do. Exercising is good because it stimulates blood circulation. To speed up the recovery we advise you to exercise regularly, think of walking and performing your daily activities at home actively. You can resume more intensive exercise after two to three weeks, but be careful not to overdo them. When the body indicates that you are in pain, it is better to take it easy.