Recovery after surgery for hernia repair

After surgery to repair your hernia, a doctor or nurse will tell you when you are well enough to leave hospital (be discharged).

A responsible adult must go with you and stay with you for 24 hours after the surgery if you had general anaesthetic. 

Recovery after leaving hospital

If you had a general anaesthetic you might feel dizzy and tired. It will take 24 to 48 hours for the general anaesthetic to wear off.

You do not need to stay in bed but we recommend that you get plenty of rest. Gently moving around your home will help your blood circulation and help to prevent blood clots.

If you had a local anaesthetic you might feel some discomfort as the anaesthetic wears off. Please take your pain relief medicines as prescribed. 

Smoking

Try not to smoke for 2 weeks after your surgery.  

Please read more about how we can help you to stop smoking. Or call the NHS Smoking Helpline on 0800 169 0 169.

Pain

You will be given medicine to help with pain relief during and after your surgery. We will make sure any pain is at a level that you can tolerate and manage at home. Any medicines given to you will be explained before you leave the hospital.  

It is important to take your pain relief medicine on a regular basis for the first few days.  You can control your pain and discomfort better when you take your pain relief regularly. 
 
After a few days, you can gradually reduce the medicine until you do not need it any longer.  

Make sure you read the label and do not exceed the recommended daily dose of any medicine you are given.

Contact us if you have any queries or if you find the pain difficult to control.

Looking after your wound

You might have some swelling and bruising around your wound site. This is not unusual and is no cause for concern.

If you notice any bleeding from the wound, press firmly on the area with a clean cloth or towel for 10 minutes. If the bleeding does not stop, please contact us immediately.

We usually use a special skin glue on top of the wound which does not need an additional dressing. 

• You can shower or bathe as soon as you like, and gently pat the wounds dry. 
• Do not pick at the glue as it will gently flake off after 10 to 14 days. 

If dressings are used, they are usually splash-proof, and you can carefully wash or shower. Make sure you keep this dressing dry and remove and replace the dressings if they become soaked. Underneath the dressing there may be paper strips. You can remove all dressings and strips a week after your surgery. 

You may notice tingling, numbness and itching of the wound, and a hard lumpy feeling as the new scar tissues form. This is normal healing.

Going to the toilet

It is very common to have either constipation or diarrhoea after surgery. It may take some time for your bowels to return to normal. 

Constipation might put pressure on the hernia repair and delay healing.  

To help prevent constipation eat plenty of high fibre foods (bran, oats, fruit, vegetable, wholemeal breads and pasta).

It might be necessary to take a mild laxative to avoid straining on the toilet. If you are concerned, speak to your GP or local pharmacist for advice.   

Getting back to everyday activities

Gentle activity around the home will help your wound heal. After 1 week, you should feel more comfortable and be able to walk short distances and do light activities. 

Do not do any heavy lifting or strenuous exercise for 6 weeks. This will help with healing and prevent the hernia from returning.

 

If you feel pain when you try to lift something after 6 weeks, avoid lifting until this discomfort has fully gone.

Avoid driving until you are free of pain and feel comfortable to carry out an emergency stop quickly and safely. This is usually within 1 to 2 weeks. Check with your insurance company to make sure you are covered to start driving again.

Returning to work

You should be able to return to work after 1 to 2 weeks, although you may need more time off if your job involves manual labour. You can read more about getting a fit note if needed.

Eating and drinking 

You can eat and drink as normal but you should avoid alcohol for 2 days after having anaesthetic. Please read the label on any medicines for instructions about drinking alcohol. 

Remember to drink plenty of fluids so that you do not become dehydrated. Drink water and juices but avoid too much tea or coffee.

Follow-up appointment

It is not usual to have any follow-up after a hernia repair unless you have any further issues or complications. 

Your discharge information will include details about any further appointments if they are needed. Your GP will be sent a copy of your discharge information.