| Questions After Treatment |
I'm scheduled for surgery; how should I prepare? |
Before surgery, we sometimes do blood work to make sure your body
is in good condition to recover. We also see you before the surgery
to review your alternatives, the possible risks and complications,
recovery times and other concerns. We will also give you your prescriptions for pain and
anti-inflammatory medicines. |
If your surgery is to be done under intravenous sedation or general
anesthesia, you are to have no food or drink eight or more hours before
surgery. That means no coffee, tea or anything else by mouth. If you take medicines, be
sure to ask us what to do about that before your surgery. Also, if you are having
sedation or general anesthesia, you are required to see your
family doctor or internist before the surgery to get clearance. (Procedures done with local
anesthesia do not need this.) |
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Arrive 60-90 minutes before the scheduled time of your surgery.
Be sure to wear loose fitting clothing to fit over your bandages.
Arrange for someone to drive you home. Make sure your family, friends
and neighbors spoil you rotten during your recovery!
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Why was my foot taped? |
Many times, foot pain is caused by abnormal mechanics or, simply put,
the way your foot or ankle moves. Accordingly, in these situations,
pills or shots only treat your symptoms since they don’t address
the cause. When you stop the pills, or the shot wears off, the symptoms
come back. |
When we feel your problem is mechanical, we put tape on your foot
to change the way it moves. If this relieves or temporarily resolves
your symptoms, we can then feel confident that you need some type
of support in your shoe to do the same thing. With the right type
of support to change the way your foot or ankle moves, your injury
can heal. Accordingly, be sure to pay close attention to when the
tape felt the best or relieved most of your symptoms. We use that
information to decide if you need custom or over-the-counter inserts
or orthotics to treat your problem. |
Why was I given an injection? |
Swelling can create significant pain and lead to the breakdown of
tissues. To expedite relief, a cortisone injection can help to reduce
inflammation and break up adhesions or scar tissues that result from
prolonged swelling. Most cortisone injections can take up to three
weeks to reach maximum benefit. |
Why was I given a splint to sleep in? |
Heel pain can be caused or aggravated by a tight heel cord (Achilles
tendon). Splints can be used to stretch the Achilles tendon while
you sleep. The purpose is to stretch this and lessen the strain on
the bottom or back of the heel. Most studies show that these splints
should be used for six weeks to obtain maximum benefit. While they
can be uncomfortable at first, slowly increasing the time it is used
usually provides benefit. |
Why was I placed in a hard cast? |
When tissues have been injured by trauma or surgery, movement can
slow or stop healing. In these cases, we use a hard cast to protect
the foot and ankle from movement and trauma. The cast must be kept
dry and, in some cases, off the ground. Watch out for tightness, numbness,
calf pain, or shortness of breath. These can be signs of trouble.
Also, do not use sharp objects to scratch any itching you may get
while in the cast. |
Why was I given crutches? |
Anytime an injury or surgery is significant enough to force the need
to be non-weight bearing, we dispense or prescribe crutches. If you
were given crutches, we let you know if any weight can be placed on
the injured or surgical part. Compliance with those instructions is
critical to a full recovery, as weight on a part that should be protected
can slow or stop healing. |
Why was I given a removable cast? |
Technology has made life easier for us in many ways. We now have removable
casts that can protect and allow healing with minimal disruption with
our lifestyles. You were given a removable cast because your fracture,
sprain, or injury needs some protection but not as much as that offered
with a hard cast or crutches. Remove the cast to bathe, drive, or
sleep. Otherwise, wear it all times so that you may return to your
normal routine sooner than later. |
Why was I given a prescription for pills to treat my pain? |
Mild to moderate swelling and pain can be treated with anti-inflammatory
pills. Take these regularly and at the dosage prescribed to obtain
maximum benefit. Stopping early or taking the medication irregularly
can lead to recurrence of your problem or unnecessary pain. |
Why was I given a prescription for pills for my toenails? |
Fungus in the toenails is a very difficult problem to treat successfully.
When the problem is significant enough, we use pills to kill the fungus.
It is important for you to make sure we know the name of every medicine
you are on to avoid interactions. It is also important for you to
tell us if you get any side effects. The medicine kills fungus as
it is incorporated into every new nail cell as they are made and from
going into the nail from the skin beneath the nail. It has been shown
to stay in your nails for up to nine months after you finish the pills,
giving prolonged protection against recurrence. To help to make sure
you have no internal problems from these pills, blood testing should
have been done before you started and then while you remain on the
medicine |
Why was I given a prescription for a cream to treat my skin and/or
toenails? |
In mild cases of fungal infections of the skin and/or nails, or if
pills are not in your best interest, we give topical medicines. Skin
clears up very nicely with this, but may require four to six months
of use as it takes 28 days to make new skin. Nails are much more difficult
to treat with topical medicines as they have a difficult time penetrating
beneath the surface. In these cases, we use the topicals to prevent
spread or worsening. |
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