Thyroid Surgery Recovery

The thyroid gland is one of the ductless glands or endocrine glands in the human body. This gland is responsible for controlling the metabolism rate of the body and balancing the calcium level. The thyroid gland may suffer from certain ailments like thyroid nodules, thyroid cancer and hyperthyroidism. To treat such cases, thyroid surgery is performed. The surgery may result in the removal of a part or the entire thyroid gland. This process is known as a thyroidectomy operation. Thyroid surgery recovery generally depends on the patient's age and health. The different aspects related to thyroid surgery recovery have been described below.

What's Next After the Surgery?
Its an obvious fact that after any surgery, the body requires ample time to recover. The recovery time depends on the extent and the graveness of the surgery performed. After a thyroid surgery, the patient requires to take utmost care regarding his physical well-being. Doctors recommend the patient to take complete bed rest for the first day in the hospital itself. This is to keep a check on the patient, lest any bleeding or difficulty in breathing occur. The patient's diet would consist of only fluids intake. However, in normal conditions, the patient can resume his normal diet after a period of three days (72 hours) after the surgery. For a period of at least two weeks, the patient would be advised to restrain from doing any heavy work. Patients generally don't have to wait for long to return to their daily work. However, it depends on the type of work and work pressure.

After being discharged from the hospital, it becomes important for the patient to follow the recommendations prby the surgeon.

Eating
It is advisable to continue taking liquids and soft foods for a period of 3-7 days post surgery. Liquid diet is followed by most patients as they experience mild sore throat or pain in the neck area while swallowing. The pain may be due to the breathing tube or the surgery.

Bathing and Cleaning
After the surgery the patient would find a small quarter-inch tube, coming out of the skin of the neck. The area where the surgery was performed is prone to build up certain fluids, and this may be critical for the recovery. So, this tube, known as a drain, prevents the build or the accumulation of the fluids. After the removal of the drain, say 24 hours post surgery, the patient can bathe or shower. However, after bathing, the area of surgery must be 'pat-dried' properly.

Driving
After the surgery, it is normal for a patient to feel stiffness or soreness in his neck. In such a case, driving would not be a safe activity. The stiffness in the neck muscles would not allow proper movements. So, it would be difficult for the patient to move his head side to side or look behind while driving. Driving is also not advised after intake of any pain relief medicines. There is nothing much to worry about for a patient whose work may involve driving on a regular basis. Sufficient guidelines regarding beneficial neck and shoulder exercises would be advised by the hospital physiotherapist. The stiffness would gradually fade away after a few weeks, provided the exercises are followed as advised.

Medications and Visits
After surgery, the patient might be required to follow a course of medication. The patient is expected to follow the course as prescribed by the surgeon. Generally, the medicines may include antibiotics, pain-killers, and the like. Follow-ups are a general procedure after any kind of a surgery, and they help doctors to keep a track of the patient's recover.

Post Surgery Risks and Side Effects
Although thyroid surgery is a safe kind of a surgery, possible complications and side effects may still come up. One side effect that a patient may suffer with is hoarseness or change in voice. During the surgery, there is a possibility of the nerves that control the voice, getting damaged. This is because the nerves of the voice box (larynx) are located at a distance very close to the thyroid gland. The brighter side of such a case is that only 1 out of 250 people who undergo thyroid gland surgery have a complaint against voice change or hoarseness.

People who undergo total removal of their thyroid glands suffer from hypothyroidsm. This is when the body is unable to produce necessary thyroid hormones. In such a case, thyroid hormone replacement drugs, known as thyroxine drugs, would be prescribed. These tablets would be replacing the hormones that would have been otherwise produced by the thyroid gland in normal conditions. As mentioned earlier, thyroid hormones are necessary to keep up the metabolism rate of the body. In absence of these hormones, the patient may suffer from extreme fatigue, depression, unfavorable weight gain, hair problems, and several symptoms of hypothyroidism. Regular follow ups with the doctor will help the patient in keeping a check on the required hormonal levels in the blood.

After a thyroid surgery, people often experience low blood levels of calcium about 30% of the time. This may occur if the parathyroid glands get affected whilst the surgery. To help control the calcium level in blood, calcium supplements are prescribed. This situation is usually temporary, as the parathyroid gland resumes its function after a short while.

Wound caused during the surgery may also cause infection. It is also one of the thyroid surgery complications. While at home, care should be taken that the wound is not irritated and disturbed. Keeping the wound clean and dry would help in quick healing. The wound should not be covered at all times. Exposure to air also helps in getting the wound dry. Swimming must be avoided and if possible avoid going to crowded places as well.

Recovery from thyroid surgery demands time and great deal of patience. Being thorough about all the steps recommended by the surgeon and following them, helps in a speedy recovery. The slightest hint of any complications and unexpected symptoms, should be reported to a medical personnel. Seeking for a doctor's advice, regarding all aspects of thyroid surgery recovery is always better than being anxious or worried, sitting at home!