After surgery on the abdominal organs, the digestive tract works more slowly. Gas accumulates in the intestines and as a result, pain, a feeling of fullness, and bloating appear. If the bowel function is not immediately restored, its peristalsis will be disrupted, and gases will not escape. In this article, you will find tips on what to do so that your bowels can empty again normally after surgery. Apply them and you will feel better!
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Stimulate Bowel Function
Step 1. Start moving as early as possible
The surgeon will recommend that you start walking as soon as you can get out of bed. If you need help, ask someone from the medical staff to support you as you walk through the room or hallway.
- You will most likely be able to walk with assistance as soon as the anesthetic wears off or 2–4 hours after surgery.
- Movement after surgery stimulates bowel function and prevents blood clots.
Step 2. Rub your belly area
Rubbing helps to reduce pain and improves intestinal motility. Check with your doctor which area of your abdomen to rub.
This tip should not be applied if you have had abdominal surgery
Step 3. Do some simple exercises for the legs and torso
If you are unable to get up and walk, your doctor or nurse can help you exercise in bed. Stretch your legs forward and then pull them towards your chest. Roll over from side to side. These simple exercises will help normalize the digestive tract.
Check with your doctor or nurse how to do these exercises to avoid damaging your postoperative stitches
Step 4. Chew sugar-free gum at least three times a day
The body responds to chewing by transmitting nerve impulses and activating hormones that stimulate the muscle contractions in the intestines, which are necessary for normal digestion. There is compelling evidence that people who chew gum after surgery will pass gas earlier than those who do not.
- However, scientists cannot explain why sugar-free gum works better than sugar-free gum.
- Check with your healthcare provider if you can chew gum after surgery.
Step 5. Drink a cup of caffeinated coffee every day
As a result of clinical studies, it has been proven that patients who drank one cup of caffeinated coffee every day after the operation had gas released 15 hours earlier than those who did not drink coffee. However, it's best to check with your doctor if you can consume caffeine.
Studies have shown that coffee is better than tea in helping to normalize bowel function
Step 6. If the doctor advises to use a rectal catheter - do not refuse
Your doctor may suggest that you have a rectal catheter inserted to remove any gas that has accumulated in your intestines. This will help relieve pain and bloating. A small tube will be inserted into your anus to allow gases to escape.
This is a safe procedure, but it will be a little annoying
Step 7. Ask your doctor when you can start eating
Usually after surgery, while the intestines are swollen from the gases that have accumulated in it, doctors recommend that patients starve. That is, you cannot eat food until the gases come out. However, within 24 to 48 hours after surgery, you can consume clear, light drinks and light, grated food - this will help restore normal bowel function. If the gas hasn't come out yet, check with your doctor if you should start eating.
Most often, doctors recommend hunger
Step 8. Do not strain when you have gas or bowel movements
Until the digestive system is fully restored, do not exert too much to get gas or bowel movements. When releasing gas or passing a bowel movement, do not push.
- Straining can hurt yourself. The severity of possible damage depends on where the operation was performed on the digestive tract.
- To make it easier for you to have a bowel movement, your doctor may prescribe medications that have a laxative effect or soften stool. Take these or other similar medications as directed.
Method 2 of 3: Take bowel-improving medications
Step 1. Talk with your doctor about taking pain relievers - non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
Ask if you can take NSAIDs, such as acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) or ibuprofen, and at what dosage. NSAIDs reduce inflammation that keeps your gut from functioning properly. In addition, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be substituted for narcotic analgesics, which contribute to the accumulation of gas in the intestines and make it difficult to defecate.
The type and dosage of NSAIDs should be selected by your doctor, taking into account which narcotic pain relievers you have already been prescribed. This will avoid side effects from drug interactions
Step 2. Ask your doctor about alvimopan
Alvimopan is a drug that helps relieve symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, and vomiting that occur postoperatively after taking opioid analgesics. If you have gas in your intestines, your doctor may prescribe this drug twice a day for seven days or until you are discharged from the hospital.
Before you start taking alvimopan, be sure to tell your doctor what other medications you are taking, as well as any liver or kidney disease you have. If you are taking calcium channel blockers, antibiotics, antifungals, or arrhythmia medications, your doctor may need to adjust your dose and monitor for side effects
Step 3. Take stool softeners and laxatives as directed by your doctor
Based on what kind of operation was performed, the doctor may prescribe you a mild laxative and a remedy that softens the stool. Take these drugs as directed.
Do not take a laxative without talking to your doctor
Method 3 of 3: How to Reduce Pain and Bloating
Step 1. Place a warm compress on your stomach for 20 minutes
Apply the compress 3-4 times a day or when bloating occurs. Check the temperature with the back of your hand before placing the compress on your stomach. Do not place a warm compress directly on the incision site, as you can burn the sensitive skin around the surgical stitches.
- A warm compress will relieve pain and help your intestines to function properly.
- Buy a heating pad that can be heated in the microwave. Find out about the availability of such heating pads in local pharmacies - if you do not find anything like this, you can order such a heating pad on the Internet, or make a warm compress yourself. Place the heating pad in the microwave for 30 seconds or as directed. You can use a terry towel instead of a heating pad. Soak it and place it in the microwave for 30 seconds.
Step 2. Eat broth or soup, bread, crackers, and other light foods
Eat easy-to-digest foods until the bloating and pain in your gut from gas build-up is relieved. Your body needs protein to repair itself, so include poultry, white fish, and other lean meats in your diet. If your doctor has recommended a specific diet for you, stick to it.
Step 3. Do not consume foods and drinks that contribute to gas formation
These include legumes (lentils and beans), broccoli, corn, and potatoes. Soda can also make you feel bloated and painful. Eliminate any foods that are poorly absorbed from your diet, such as dairy and spicy foods.
Step 4. Drink at least 2 liters of water a day
Drink 8-10 glasses of water, juice, or other non-alcoholic, caffeine-free drinks throughout the day. Providing the body with enough water will help soften stool, release gas and facilitate the bowel movement. Drinking water will also speed up the healing of postoperative stitches.
Step 5. Take over-the-counter gas-reducing drugs
Products containing simethicone can help relieve pain, especially after a hysterectomy or caesarean section. Medicines can only be taken after consulting your doctor. Be sure to read the instructions for the drug and follow all recommendations.