You will probably be off of work for at least two weeks following surgery, maybe even three. During this time, your body will be healing, and we want to make sure that happens as quickly and effectively as possible. You can still do light housework and chores like laundry or cooking while recovering from your tummy tuck procedure, but if you feel any pain or discomfort while doing those tasks, please stop immediately and call our office so we can discuss whether or not it’s safe for you to continue working on those activities until after your recovery period has elapsed.”
The tummy tuck recovery is not a walk in the park, but it’s not nearly as bad as you might think. It’s true that you will be in pain, but you’ll also have a lot of help from our staff. The first thing you’ll notice is the incision—it’s called a “tummy tuck” for a reason! You’ll be given prescriptions for pain medication to help you get through your recovery period, and we encourage you to take them as directed by your doctor.
Read on to learn more. on How Bad Is A Tummy Tuck Recovery, Pinching Pain After Tummy Tuck and How Bad Is The Pain After A Tummy Tuck
How Bad Is A Tummy Tuck Recovery
Abdominoplasty, also known as a tummy tuck, is a cosmetic surgical procedure that flattens the abdomen by removing excess fat and skin and tightening the underlying muscle. Most people recover within several weeks. You may experience swelling and moderate pain during your post-operative recovery, both due to the procedure itself and because of movements you make while your incision is healing. You can get through this period more comfortably by trying several strategies for managing the pain after a tummy tuck.
Lifestyle Management
As you are recovering from your surgery, there are practical things that you can do during the first few months to prevent pain from starting and to reduce your pain if you have any.
- Maintain physical activity: As you recover, you should continue to carry out simple day-to-day tasks and regularly get up and walk around your home. This is recommended to reduce your risk of developing harmful blood clots, and it also prevents you from remaining in one position for too long, which can make it painful when you finally get up and move.
- Avoid strenuous exercise: As you are recovering and your wounds are healing, you should not put a strain on your incisions by engaging in strenuous activity or lifting heavy objects for at least six weeks or until you get the green light from your healthcare provider. If you would like to begin or get back to challenging exercises once you are fully recovered, it is a good idea to maintain some level of fitness by walking for exercise throughout your recovery period.
- Don’t smoke: To enhance the healing process, you should avoid the use of tobacco. Nicotine severely compromises the body’s ability to heal. It causes blood vessels to narrow, making the delivery of oxygen to the skin cells at the incision site more difficult, ultimately delaying the healing process.
- Avoid constipation: You may be constipated if you are not eating due to nausea or fatigue. Narcotic pain medications also cause constipation, which eventually leads to abdominal pain. Try to eat food that is high in fiber and drink ample amounts of fluid to avoid constipation. If nausea or constipation are persistent, you may need to take over-the-counter or prescription medication.
Pain Management
Often, tummy tuck procedures include injection of pain medications into the area around the sensory nerves, resulting in a nerve block. This pre-emptive measure has been shown to reduce postoperative pain. However, if you experience postoperative pain, you may need treatment as you recover from your tummy tuck surgery. Options include:
- Over-the-counter medication: Many surgeons recommend taking ibuprofen or naproxen 24 to 48 hours after the procedure if there is no evidence of bleeding. NSAIDS can decrease the swelling and offer pain relief which can allow patients to stop narcotics earlier resulting in fewer side effects from those drugs.
- Prescription medications: Long-acting narcotic pain medications are often prescribed because they do not cause bleeding. However, at low doses, narcotics can cause constipation; at high doses, they can cause breathing and heart problems, as well as addiction risk.
- Pain pump: If you have severe nausea and cannot take medication by mouth, a pain pump—a device that delivers medication directly into the body via an inserted tube—can be another alternative. If your pain is severe, a pain pump can reduce your need for high doses of prescription narcotic pain medication.
Post-Operative Care
There are some routine things you need to take care of as you heal after your surgery, including wearing a compression garment, wound care, and drain care. Paying careful attention to these tasks can help reduce or prevent pain.
- Compression garment: After surgery, you will be wrapped in or given a compression garment to wear. The compression garment will reduce swelling and support the abdomen, promoting proper healing. You should expect to wear this for two weeks to two months, depending on how quickly you are healing. Be sure to tell your medical team if the compression garment is causing any pain, as adjustments may be needed.
- Incision care: Surgical dressings or bandages will be applied to your incision area. You will be given instructions about whether you should change these bandages and, if so, how often and how to do it. The most important aspect of your at-home wound care is that you keep your wound clean and remain gentle with it to avoid injury or bleeding. You will also be given instructions to be on the lookout for problems, such as pain from the incision site, swelling, redness, pus, warmth, or bleeding.
- Drain care: After an abdominoplasty, temporary tubes to drain excess fluid from the surgical site will be inserted under your skin. They will be removed during the first week of recovery or when your healthcare provider is assured that the fluid no longer needs to be drained. If you experience pain at the drain site, or if you notice redness, swelling, or oozing of pus or blood, tell your healthcare provider’s office.
- Antibiotics: You may be given a prescription for medication to apply to your surgical site and/or to take orally to reduce your risk of developing a postoperative infection. An infection can cause pain, but more common symptoms of infection include fever, swelling, warmth, or pus.
A Word From Verywell
A tummy tuck is generally well tolerated. However, it is a surgical procedure, and there are some risks and side effects—including pain. If you are planning to have a tummy tuck, you should be prepared for one to two months of recovery, and you may experience pain throughout this time. In general, pain is mild to moderate after a tummy tuck. Rarely, pain or sensory abnormalities can persist for months or even years after the procedure. If your pain is severe or persistent, you should tell your healthcare provider.
How Bad Is The Pain After A Tummy Tuck
At our Manhattan and Long Island plastic surgery offices, we want our patients to be as comfortable and satisfied as possible. This is especially true during the recovery stage of a procedure, when patients are likely to experience certain side effects of surgery. After a tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, patients commonly experience pain or discomfort near the treated area. Although pain varies among patients and will resolve in time, everyone can benefit from following a few simple steps in the days and weeks following treatment. To make your post-surgical experience as easy as possible, follow the guidelines listed below.
Reducing Pain In the First Week
You can expect side effects of surgery to develop within the first 24 hours, increasing over two to four days. Typically, patients experience pain, bruising, and swelling, with the latter two also resulting in residual soreness. Therefore, anything to alleviate these effects will have a positive influence on one’s general comfort. To reduce pain immediately following surgery and in the days to come, we suggest the following:
- Take pain medication: First and foremost, take your prescription pain medication as directed by your doctor. Painkillers are more effective at preventing discomfort than stopping it, and should therefore be continued through a doctor’s recommended timeline or until patients are confident that their pain has significantly subsided.
- Wear your compression garment: You should be given an elastic compression garment to wear around your abdomen in the weeks following surgery. This will help reduce pain and swelling through recovery, but is especially important in the first week, as it will decrease the risk of infection and other complications.
- Apply an ice pack: By applying a cold compress to the area over the first 48 hours, you can decrease the onset of swelling. This will both temporarily numb pain and alleviate most side effects later on. Apply the compress near the surgical site, but not directly on the incisions.
- Use antibiotics: Whether you are given oral antibiotics or a topical cream, it’s important to use this medication as directed. An infection would not only increase your pain, but it would endanger your overall health.
- Position yourself accordingly: When lying down or reclining, keep your hips in a flexed position to improve comfort. While standing or walking around, you may find that being slightly hunched over will alleviate stress from your abdomen.
Reducing Pain Throughout Recovery
After your incisions have healed, you may still feel sore due to swelling and damaged tissues. Until your doctor has determined that you have fully recovered, consider what you can do to hasten your recovery and limit discomfort:
- Stay hydrated: Hydration is essential to the healing process, as it is necessary for proper circulation, organ functions, digestion, and a host of other vital processes. Water intake will also flush out other fluids, reducing swelling.
- Avoid sodium: Salt intake tends to worsen or prolong swelling; when possible, avoid foods that are high in sodium. On the other hand, a healthy, balanced diet will improve side effects and promote tissue repair.
- Avoid an upset stomach: Any foods that may result in gas or constipation should be avoided, as this will put stress on your stomach and lead to further pain. Carbonated drinks may also irritate the stomach or bowels.
- Avoid heavy lifting: Anything that requires upper body strength, including the lifting or carrying of moderately heavy objects, should be avoided. For the first three weeks, nothing over 10 pounds should be handled.
- Gently massage your abdomen: Although you should avoid touching your incisions, it may be beneficial to lightly rub your abdomen as needed in the weeks following treatment. This can help alleviate tightness in the muscles.
- Herbal supplements: Ask your doctor about any possible herbal ointments or supplements that can reduce swelling and pain, such as arnica topical gel.
Pinching Pain After Tummy Tuck
Pinching pain after tummy tuck is a common complaint. It is also called “cutting” or “stitching” pain. This pain is caused by the sutures (stitches) used to close the incision and is usually mild and short-lived.
The most common areas of pinching pain are in the lower abdomen over the pubic area (pelvic region), around the navel, or on both sides of your belly button. It can also be felt just above or below the incision line.
The incision will feel numb for a while, but you may feel some discomfort as it heals.
I had a tummy tuck with liposuction and I’m having pinching pain on my tummy. It’s been three weeks since my surgery and the pain is getting worse. Is this normal?
Thank you for your question. The pinch is most likely the result of one or more of the following:
The drain not being removed at the time of your procedure
Scar tissue around the belly button (scar contracture)
Infection (rare)
I have been going to the gym for a couple of years and have lost 35 lbs. I have also had a tummy tuck and a breast reduction. The surgeon did not remove extra skin, but said he would in another surgery in the future.
I was very happy with all of my surgeries until I started to feel a pinchy pain around my belly button area. It is not always there, but when it does come on it is very painful and uncomfortable. I’ve seen my doctor several times now and she has told me that this is normal and that there are still some nerves in that area that need to heal up. She kept saying that it would get better, but now it’s been over 6 months since my surgery and it hasn’t gotten any better at all!
The doctor said that if this doesn’t go away after another 4 weeks then she will refer me to another doctor who may be able to help me with this problem…are there any suggestions out there??
The pain you are experiencing is likely due to the bandages and dressings that are in place. This can be very uncomfortable, but should subside as they come out.
It is not uncommon for patients to experience some discomfort in the first week or two post-op, especially if they have had liposuction done at the same time or if they were previously very active.
I would recommend taking it easy for at least one week after surgery and avoiding any strenuous activity or exercise. If your pain persists beyond this time, you should contact your plastic surgeon.
I had a tummy tuck and liposuction done on Monday and I am having some pretty bad pain. It hurts when I walk, sit, lay down, even breathe. The doctor put some sort of foam pad under my incision because it was really sagging and that helped with the pain but now it’s just hard to move around.
I took a pain pill last night but it hasn’t been very effective so far. Is this normal? How long will it take to feel better?