If you have scheduled a surgical intervention, it means that you have exhausted every other option. It is a task of every responsible doctor to consider every non-invasive method of treating an ailment. But in some cases employing scalpels is the most effective (or even only) option. However, there is a set of hazards that come with that effectiveness, and neurosurgical operations can be exceptionally elaborate. After all, your nervous system is responsible for the regulation of all metabolic and cognitive processes. Therefore, the procedures done on these parts of your anatomy are not only quite complex. But also require solid groundwork beforehand, so here’s how to prepare for invasive neurosurgical spinal operations.
Educate yourself
If you are faced with something that you cannot begin to grasp, its power over your mind is bound to increase. On the other hand, we all know that knowledge is power. So as soon as you decide to wield it, you will become well armed to banish away all your fears. First of all, you should begin by learning as much as you can about your condition.
This, in turn, will also feed into your lifestyle changes, as you will adopt certain dietary and fitness habits which can make your life easier before the date of the surgery. Crucially, the detailed knowledge about the nature, length and anatomy of the procedure itself will demystify it and make it more grounded. This means that you will begin to look at it simply as something that is ‘a matter of fact’, the inescapable part of your life that is just like anything else.
Try to avoid hitting the books as they require extensive knowledge of medical terms. And rely on visual aid instead – informative surgery videos will render every step of the surgery in quality HD. Multiple videos and much more about preparation for neurosurgery can be found on Dr Timothy Steel surgery videos. You can alternatively (or additionally) rely on YouTube for some other examples as well as the range of images, pamphlets, and instructions you can find, though it may be advisable to steer away from the internet when it comes to topics that relate to your particular ailment.
Keep calm and gossip
This may sound like bad advice, but staying in the loop about the mundane intrigue of your social circle may actually comfort you in the coming days before the operation. There is something to be said about the minutiae of mundane – it grounds you and reminds you that life is still happening around you, with you as one of the social ‘actors’. It denies you the chance to feel as if you are just ‘floating anchorless’ after your diagnosis.
Of course, this gossip doesn’t have to be anything harmful or secretive. The key, if it has not become clear by now, is to simply stay socially active. Surround yourself with friends and family and reaffirm that many of the things that you always deemed important never actually changed. While this is not a method of preparing for spinal surgery in the formal sense. It should nevertheless be pointed out as an additional ‘tool’ in your arsenal that may help you hold the reins of the preparatory process.
Economic arrangements
It goes without saying that you should have covered all the basics at least a week before surgery. Have the suitcase packed, housekeeping arrangements made and financial plan laid out. The fact of the matter is that you will have to go through an extensive and grueling recovery period after the spinal operation.
This downtime can easily last for half a year and. Unless your job enables you to keep your spine in the exact position that is recommended by medical professionals for eight hours. It may take you a lot longer to return to work. Keep the lines of communication between you and your company’s HR open. And make sure that you have the right health insurance that can cover the bulk of the expenses.
When it comes to day to day activities after your operation. Especially food, you will have to rely on your savings account. And the helping hands of your friends and family. If professional aid is out of the question, one of your closest family members can take care of transportation to the hospital and back home. They can also check up on you at least once a day. And help out with meal preparation in advance. In addition, your household’s furniture should probably be rearranged. So that you can have the best access to every part of the home necessary for fulfilling your basic needs.
Stay physically active
As it has been mentioned, keeping yourself educated on all matters related to your neurological and/or spinal ailment will help you learn about your limits. You should do everything in your power to keep yourself physically active within those limits. Back pain, after all, can be quite an excruciating malady to live with. And keeping your muscles strong can definitely help ease the pain, at least somewhat.
Having stronger muscles means having better support to your bone structure and overall musculature. Which translates to less pain and better control of your motor functions. There is nothing particularly profound or complicated about it. If you cannot strictly exercise, keep yourself on the move, walk as much as you can and, preferably. Drag a friend along for the walk in order to fulfill that factor of comforting socialization.
It goes without saying that, while you exercise, you should also restrict your diet. Shave off at least 30% of your regular food intake in order to lose some weight (unless you are already malnourished, of course), because reduced weight also means less back pain in general and it also leads to faster recovery.
It is fairly natural to feel at least a modicum of trepidation before surgery. Let alone something that requires extensive preparation and virtuoso of surgical craft such as a neurosurgical spinal operation. There are several points of consolation that should put your mind at ease. One of them being the fact that countless people go through this type of surgery every day with the ever-increasing probability of success. Simply speaking, the new generations of tools are more sophisticated. There are new iterations of technology that renders such operations much more manageable. And the focus on the quality of life in the recovery renders the entire experience much easier to bear.
