Having pain, bruising, and swelling is all normal after you’ve undergone knee surgery of any sort. The post-operative symptoms can be excruciating to endure, however, there are some ways to ease the recovery process. 

The initial pains after knee surgery can be challenging to cope with, but the road to recovery will only ease your knee problems as the progress continues. Today we’ll be taking a look at some of the effects of knee surgery and ways through which you curb knee surgery pain 

Side Effects of Knee Surgery 

Before treating the pain, it’s essential to understand your symptoms and realize that most pain is nothing to worry about and is a common side effect of the surgery. These side effects include:

•  You may experience general pain several weeks after knee surgery 
•  Swelling can last for 3 weeks after the surgery in most cases; however, cases have been observed where the swelling can end up lasting for 3 to 6 months.
•  You may see the purple or blue bruise marks for 2 weeks after your surgery is performed. 

How To Manage Knee Swelling

Swelling is a standard part of the recovery process.  While the severe swelling lasts for 3 to 4 weeks, some people have reported that their swelling didn’t go down for 3 to 6 months. An easy way to reduce the swelling is by adequately following up with the exercises that your doctor asks you to do. 

Elevating your leg on a high point with the help of a sling of pillows can also reduce swelling. Another good alternative is wearing compression socks and stockings to help the pain and the swelling. 

Ice packs are the best way to provide relief to swollen muscles,so try to keep them around. They will effectively help in reducing the inflammation in your muscles. Try using them for 3 to 4 times a day, with each session lasting 20 minutes. However, it is best to consult your doctor to find out the right amount of icing your knee would need.

Using the Right Pain Medication  

Of course, pain is part of the process of recovery. While it reduces over time, the initial pain can be incredibly challenging to get through with. The typical pain medications you can use are the non-steroidal anti-inflammation drugs you can buy over the counter, such as naproxen and the common ibuprofen. 

In severe pain cases, you may have to opt for more potent painkillers that contain oxycodone and tramadol. Again, all of these medications are to be consumed under medical discretion only. Never try to self-medicate, as it does more harm than good.  

Combatting Harsh Bruising

Bruising on the skin can end up on your skin for 2 weeks, and the discoloration is due to the clotting of blood underneath. Most healthcare experts may even administer some blood thinner to combat the issues you may face with your veins; however, that can add to the bruising. 

While the bruising subside on its own, you can help reduce the inflammation and the bruising by just elevating your leg. This will help in circulation, which will regulate the blood flow in the affected area as well. 

Conclusion 

While curbing the pain after knee surgery can seem to be a painful task in itself, you can quickly get through by taking proper care of yourself listening to your body’s needs. 

Always be sure to elevate your leg, wear the compressive stockings, and timely apply your medication to see fast healing. Additionally, be sure to practice small exercises to increase your mobility. We wish you a fast recovery!