After your tummy tuck surgery, you are likely to experience some discomfort. This may last for a few days or weeks. Pain medication will be prescribed to help ease your discomfort. You should not exercise for at least two weeks after the procedure and wear loose-fitting clothing. Your doctor may also recommend that you wear an abdominal binder after your surgery to help reduce swelling and promote healing.
In addition to pain medication, you can take over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen if needed. However, these medications increase the risk of bleeding or infection if used in large doses or for long periods of time. If your pain is severe or does not go away with medication, contact your doctor immediately so they can determine what is causing it and what treatment options you have available to manage it effectively without risking any negative side effects from taking too much medication at once or too often over time
Read on to learn more on How Bad Is The Pain After A Tummy Tuck, Pinching Pain After Tummy Tuck and
Warning Signs After Tummy Tuck
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?
Warning Signs After Tummy Tuck
The tummy tuck, usually called a tummy tuck or abdominalplasty, is the most popular cosmetic surgical procedure in the United States. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), it is one of the top 10 cosmetic procedures requested by men and women.
While the results of a tummy tuck are often very pleasing, there are some potential complications to be aware of and steps you can take to minimize your risk of them happening to you.
Here are some warning signs after tummy tuck that you should look out for:
Bleeding: Bleeding is common after any surgery, but it’s especially important to monitor this after a tummy tuck because it can lead to serious blood loss. If you notice blood in your urine or stool or if a wound starts oozing, contact your doctor right away.
Infection: Infections are less common than bleeding since they’re usually caught early on during recovery and treated quickly with antibiotics. However, they do happen occasionally so if you notice signs such as redness, swelling or pus coming from your incision area or other parts of your body where there’s been an invasive procedure done — such as breast augmentation or liposuction — contact