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Post-operative Instructions

Download the PDFs or click on the tabs below for instructions to follow before your surgery.

Home care after cervical spinal fusion/cervical disc replacement

Download printable version (PDF)

Activity

You need to give your body time to heal after this operation; however, you should not stay completely inactive. You should be out of bed and ambulating to promote healing and reduce the risk of secondary medical issues such as blood clots. Below is a list of activities you should follow.

  1. Most often you do not need a neck brace after surgery. In rare instances and depending on the extent of your surgery, you may be given a neck brace after surgery. You will be given the brace prior to leaving the hospital if it is needed. Dr. Mazahery will direct you on when you must wear the brace. If given a brace, most commonly you will wear the brace for the majority of the day and when sleeping for the first two weeks after surgery. You may remove the brace for short periods of time when resting and you may remove the brace to shower. There are rare instances when the brace must be worn at all times, even when showering, and your surgeon will advise you of this. You cannot drive while wearing this brace.
  2. No sports activity except for walking for the first two weeks after surgery. Try to avoid sweating in the area of the incision to reduce risk of infection. (Note: There are no limits on stair climbing or sitting. Use your comfort level as an indicator of the length of time you are able to sit or climb stairs. Generally a person is comfortable sitting about 1 hour before a change in position or activity is needed).
  3. It is important to stay mobile after surgery. Below is a general walking program that is recommended.
    1. Day 1 (at home): Walk 1 block in the morning and 1 block in the afternoon/evening.
    2. After Day 1: Increase your distance 1 block per day as long as it is comfortable. You should be walking 1-2 miles per day when you return for your next visit.
  4. Sleep in any position as comfortable (including side, back, or stomach).

Limitations

  • No driving while on narcotics or if you were given a neck brace to wear.
  • No lifting more than 5 pounds (about a gallon of milk) for the first 2 weeks after surgery. No lifting more than 25 pounds for an additional 4 weeks (six weeks total).
  • No sexual activity for the first week after surgery, after that as comfortable.

Incision care

Caring for your incision at home is important to prevent infection. Please follow the steps below on incision care.

  • If you have a dressing over your incision, you may remove it when you are home.
  • When you are home, it is preferred that you leave the incision open to air. You may cover the incision with a bandage if this is more comfortable, however you need to change the dressing once a day.
  • Your incision has been closed with suture material under the skin and covered with steri-strips (small pieces of surgical tape) on the skin. The steri-strips will gradually peel off as they get wet when you take a shower. This is normal and expected.
  • You may shower 3 days after surgery. No direct water pressure on the incision, but water can roll over the incision. Pat incision dry with a clean towel.

Pain management at home

It is normal after surgery to have occasional pain, numbness, or tingling in your neck or arms. To reduce the pain, there are several approaches to try:

  • Take the pain medicine as directed by your doctor.
  • You can utilize Tylenol (as long as Tylenol/acetaminophen is not a component of your narcotic medication) to supplement your pain control if needed. You can also utilize non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, such as Advil/Aleve/Ibuprofen, to help reduce inflammation and assist with pain control. Do not exceed the recommended daily dosage of these medications.

Narcotic pain medication causes constipation. Eat plenty of foods with roughage (bran, oat, fruit, applesauce) and drink a lot of fluids, especially prune juice to prevent constipation. You can also take over the counter stool softeners such as Colace as needed.

You will be given a prescription for pain medication after your surgery. We anticipate you will no longer require narcotic pain medications 1-2 weeks post operatively.

Call your doctor if you have any of the following

  1. A temperature of 101 F (38.3 C) or greater on 2 readings taken 4 hours apart
  2. An increase in pain, redness or swelling around your incision.
  3. Drainage from your incision.
  4. Increasing difficulty breathing or swallowing
  5. Develop difficulty urinating or controlling your bowel movements.
  6. Increased swelling in your ankles or feet.
  7. Increasing weakness of your arms or legs.
  8. 8. Redness, warmth and tenderness on the back of the calf of your leg(s).

Future follow-up visits

1st post operative appointment: This usually occurs 1 to 2 weeks after your surgery date. Call Dr. Mazahery’s office to confirm the date and time of your post operative appointment at 703-810-5202

Return to work

Your return to work will depend on your recovery and the type of work you do. You must discuss this with your doctor before you return to work

Important phone numbers

Dr. Mazahery’s office 703-810-5202, Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

For emergencies on nights and weekends, please call 703-810-5202 and have the on call provider paged. You will need to leave your number and the doctor will call you back shortly.

Home care after lumbar discectomy

Download printable version (PDF)

Activity

  • You can climb stairs just try not to over-do it.
  • Sleep either on your back, stomach or side. You may use pillows for support placed behind your back or between your legs.
  • Do not sit for more than 30 minutes at a time.
  • It is important to begin a walking program once you leave the hospital.
    • Day 1 (at home): Walk 1 block in the morning and 1 block in the afternoon/evening.
    • After Day 1: Increase your distance 1 block per day as long as it is comfortable. You should be walking 1-2 miles per day when you return for your next visit.

Note: If you need to lift or pick up an object (less than 5 pounds) from the floor, squat with your knees bent; do not bend at the waist.

Limitations

  • No driving for 3 days or while on narcotics. You may be a passenger in the car, but limit rides to 30 minutes.
  • No lifting more than 5 pounds for the first 2 weeks. No lifting over 25 pounds for 4 additional weeks (6 weeks total)
  • No sports activities (except the walking program) until after your first postoperative visit.
  • No sexual activity for 1 week, after that if comfortable while lying on your back.

Return to work

Your return to work will depend on your recovery and the type of work you do. You must discuss this with your doctor before you return to work.

Incision care

Caring for your incision at home is important to prevent infection. Please follow the steps below on incision care:

  • You may remove your dressing 2 days after your surgery. If your incision is no longer draining, it is preferred you leave your incision open to air. You can cover your incision with a dry dressing if this is more comfortable, but you should change this dressing daily.
  • You may shower 3 days after your surgery. No direct water pressure over the incision, but water can hit the top of you back and roll over the incision. Pat dry with a clean towel. No tub soaks.
  • Your incision has been closed with suture material under the skin and covered with steri-strips (small pieces of surgical tape) on the skin. The steri-strips will gradually peel off as they get wet when you take a shower. This is normal and expected.

Pain management at home

You may have an occasional increase in the low back, leg pain and/or numbness after surgery during the healing phase. This is normal and is caused by inflammation (or swelling) of tissue in your low back. To reduce the pain, there are several approaches to try.

  • Avoid sitting more than 30 to 60 minutes at a time for the next 48 hours.
  • Decrease your activity for the next 1-2 days.
  • Take the pain medicine as directed by the doctor. You may take over the counter anti-inflammatory medications (ibuprofen, Motrin®, Advil®, Aleve®) as instructed on the bottle. You can take Tylenol to help with pain control if the narcotic medication you were prescribed does not also contain Tylenol/acetaminophen.

Narcotic pain medicine causes constipation. Eat plenty of foods with roughage (bran, oat, fruit, applesauce) and drink a lot of fluids, especially prune juice to prevent constipation. You can also take over the counter stool softeners such as Colace as needed.

You will be given a prescription for pain medication after your surgery. We anticipate you will no longer require narcotic pain medications 1-2 weeks post operatively.

Future follow-up visits

1st post operative appointment: This usually occurs 1 to 2 weeks after your surgery date. Call Dr. Mazahery’s office to confirm the date and time of your post operative appointment at 703-810-5202

Call your doctor if you have any of the following

  1. A temperature of 101 F (38.3 C) or greater on 2 readings taken 4 hours apart
  2. An increase in pain, redness or swelling around your incision.
  3. Drainage from your incision.
  4. Develop difficulty urinating or controlling your bowel movements.
  5. Increased swelling in your ankles or feet.
  6. Increasing weakness of your legs
  7. Redness, warmth and tenderness on the back of the calf on your lower leg

Important phone numbers

Dr. Mazahery’s office 703-810-5202, Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

For emergencies on nights and weekends, please call 703-810-5202 and have the on call provider paged. You will need to leave your number and the doctor will call you back shortly.

Home care after lumbar laminectomy

Activity

  • You may be given a brace to wear. This brace is for your comfort, you do not need to wear it. This may provide additional comfort post-operatively when standing/walking for prolonged periods.
  • You can climb stairs just try not to over-do it.
  • Sleep either on your back, stomach or side. You may use pillows for support placed behind your back or between your legs.
  • It is a good idea to change positions every 30-60 minutes so your muscles do not get tight or fatigued in any one position.
  • It is important to begin a walking program once you leave the hospital. A walking program will promote healing as well as reduce the risk of blood clots.

Day 1 (at home): Walk 1 block in the morning and 1 block in the afternoon/evening.

After Day 1: Increase your distance 1 block per day as long as it is comfortable. You should be walking 1-2 miles per day when you return for your next visit.

NOTE: If you need to lift or pick up an object (less than 5 pounds) from the floor, squat with your knees bent; do not bend at the waist.

Limitations

  • No driving for 3 days or while on narcotics. You may be a passenger in the car, but keep car trips to less than 30 minutes for the first 2 weeks.
  • No sitting for longer than 30 minutes at a time.
  • No lifting more than 5 pounds (about 1 gallon of milk) for the first 2 weeks. No lifting over 25 pounds for an additional 4 weeks (6 weeks total).
  • No sports activities (except the walking program) until after your first post-operative visit.
  • No sexual activity for 1 week, after that if comfortable while lying on your back.

Return to Work

Your return to work will depend on your recovery and the type of work you do. You must discuss this with your doctor before you return to work

Incision Care

Caring for your incision at home is important to prevent infection. Please follow the steps below on incision care:

  • If you have a dressing over your incision, you may remove it when you are home. When your incision is no longer draining it is preferred that you leave your incision open to air. You can cover your incision with a dry dressing if this is more comfortable, but you should change this dressing daily.
  • Your incision has been closed with suture material under the skin and covered with steri-strips (small pieces of surgical tape) on the skin. The steri-strips will gradually peel off as they get wet when you take a shower. This is normal and expected.
  • You can shower 5 days after your surgery. No direct water pressure on the incision, but water can hit the top of you back and roll over the incision. Pat dry with a clean towel. No tub soaks.

Pain Management at Home

You may have an occasional increase in the low back, leg pain and/or numbness after surgery during the healing phase. This is normal and is caused by inflammation (or swelling) of tissue in your low back. To reduce the pain, there are several approaches to try:

  • Ice the incision area for 20 minutes per hour as often as needed. Do not place ice directly on the skin. Use a ready-made ice pack or put ice in a plastic bag and wrap in a towel before you use it.
  • Avoid sitting more than 30 to 60 minutes at a time for the next 48 hours.
  • Decrease your activity for the next 1-2 days.
  • Take the pain medicine as directed by the doctor. You may take over the counter anti-inflammatory medications (aspirin, ibuprofen, Motrin®, Advil®, Aleve®) as instructed on the bottle. If you are unsure about their safety, talk to your primary care physician.

If you need a refill on your pain medicine, call your surgeon’s office, (703) 810-5202, Monday through Friday, 8:00am-4:00pm. Please call before you have only 1 or 2 tablets and be ready to give the name and phone number of the pharmacy where you want the prescription filled.

Eventually you should no longer need to use the pain medicine. Narcotic pain medicine often causes constipation. Eat plenty of foods with roughage (bran, oat, fruit, applesauce) and drink a lot of fluids, especially prune juice to prevent constipation.

Call Your Doctor if You Have Any of the Following

  1. A temperature of 101 F (38.3 C) or greater on 2 readings taken 4 hours apart
  2. An increase in pain, redness or swelling around your incision.
  3. Drainage from your incision.
  4. Develop difficulty urinating or controlling your bowel movements.
  5. Increased swelling in your ankles or feet.
  6. Increasing weakness in your legs
  7. Redness, warmth and tenderness on the back of the calf of your leg(s).

Future Follow-Up Visits

1st post operative appointment: This usually occurs 1 to 2 weeks after your surgery date. Call Dr. Mazahery’s office when you are discharged from the hospital to schedule your post operative appointment. 703-810-5202

Important Phone Numbers

Dr. Mazahery’s office: (703) 810-5202, Monday through Friday 8:30am-5:00pm

For emergencies on nights and weekends, call (703) 810-5202 and have the on call provider paged. You need to leave your number so the doctor can call you back shortly.

Home care after lumbar spine fusion

Download printable version (PDF)

Activity

This is a major operation and you need to give your body time to heal. However, you should not be completely inactive after this operation. It is important to be out of bed and ambulating to reduce the risk of secondary medical issues. Below is a list of activities you should follow.

  • You may sleep either on your side, stomach or back. You may use pillows for support placed behind your back or between your legs.
  • You no longer need to wear the compression stockings once you are up, walking, and back to your normal activities.
  • It is a good idea to change positions ever 30-60 minutes so your muscles do not get tight or fatigued in any one position.
  • You are able to climb stairs.
  • Back brace: Most often you do not need any bracing after surgery. If Dr. Mazahery feels it is necessary for you to have a brace post operatively, you will be given an off the shelf brace or possible custom brace while you are in the hospital.
  • You should begin a walking program as soon as you leave the hospital. The walking program is the only exercise you should do until your first postoperative appointment. Adhering to the post operative walking program will promote healing of the soft tissues and muscles dissected during the operation, and will help reduce your risk of developing a blood clot. See the program description below.

Walking program

  • Day 1: Walk the length of the hallway at home 3-4 times in the morning and again in the afternoon or evening.
  • Days 2-6: Increase the distance walked by a small amount each day.
  • Day 7: Walk to the end of the driveway and back in the morning and again in the afternoon or evening.
  • Day 8: Walk a half block in the morning and again in the afternoon or evening.
  • Day 9: Walk 1 block in the morning and 1 block in the afternoon or evening.
  • Day 10: Walk 1½ blocks in the morning and 1½ blocks in the afternoon or evening.
  • After Day 10: Continue to increase the distance you walk as tolerated.

Limitations

  • Do not drive for 2 weeks or while taking narcotic pain medication. You may be a passenger for 30 minutes at a time. The doctor will let you know when it is safe to start driving again.
  • No lifting over 5 lbs for the first 2 weeks after surgery. No lifting over 25 lbs for an additional 4 weeks (six weeks total).
  • No bending or twisting at the waist. If you need to pick something up off the ground bend at your knees keeping your back straight.
  • No sexual activity for 3 weeks.

Incision care

Caring for your incision at home is important to prevent infection. Please follow the steps below on incision care:

  • If you have a dressing over your incision, you may remove it when you are home. When your incision is no longer draining it is preferred that you leave your incision open to air. You can cover your incision with a dry dressing if this is more comfortable, but you should change this dressing daily.
  • Your incision has been closed with suture material under the skin and covered with steri-strips (small pieces of surgical tape) on the skin. The steri-strips will gradually peel off as they get wet when you take a shower. This is normal and expected.
  • You can shower 3-5 days after your surgery depending on the extent of your surgery. No direct water pressure on the incision, but water can hit the top of you back and roll over the incision. Pat dry with a clean towel. No tub soaks.

Pain management at home

You may have an occasional increase in the low back, leg pain and/or numbness after surgery during the healing phase. This is normal and is caused by inflammation (or swelling) of tissue in your low back. To reduce the pain, there are several approaches to try.

  • Do not sit more than 30 minutes at a time the next 48 hours.
  • Take the pain medicine as directed by your doctor.
  • You can utilize Tylenol (as long as Tylenol/acetaminophen is not a component of your narcotic medication) to supplement your pain control if needed. You can also utilize non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, such as Advil/Aleve/Ibuprofen, to help reduce inflammation and assist with pain control. Do not exceed the recommended daily dosage of these medications.

Narcotic pain medication causes constipation. Eat plenty of foods with roughage (bran, oat, fruit, applesauce) and drink a lot of fluids, especially prune juice to prevent constipation. You can also take over the counter stool softeners such as Colace.

You will be sent home from the hospital with a prescription for pain medication. You may need one additional refill of pain medication post operatively, but then we anticipate you will be able to discontinue the narcotic medications.

Call your doctor if you have any of the following

  1. A temperature of 101 F (38.3 C) or greater on 2 readings taken 4 hours apart
  2. An increase in pain, redness or swelling around your incision.
  3. Drainage from your incision.
  4. Develop difficulty urinating or controlling your bowel movements.
  5. Increased swelling in your ankles or feet.
  6. Increasing weakness of your legs
  7. Redness, warmth and tenderness on the back of the calf on your lower leg.

Return to work

Your return to work will depend on your recovery and the type of work you do. You must discuss this with your doctor before you return to work

Future follow-up visits

1st post operative appointment: This usually occurs 1 to 2 weeks after your surgery date. Call Dr. Mazahery’s office to confirm the date and time of your post operative appointment at 703-810-5202

Important phone numbers

Dr. Mazahery’s office 703-810-5202, Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

For emergencies on nights and weekends, please call 703-810-5202 and have the on call provider paged. You will need to leave your number and the doctor will call you back shortly.