Getting the news that you need brain surgery can be quite frightening. While modern medicine is a marvel, in the end, someone still has to cut a hole in your head and perform surgery on your brain. As difficult as it may be to trust someone to take your brain into their hands, recovering from brain surgery will be the most difficult part of the whole procedure. Knowing what to expect and how to cope with it can help you navigate the blur that will follow your surgery.

Oh, the Gore!

Matted blood, unidentified surgical goop, bulky scabs—looking at yourself in the mirror after brain surgery might feel like you are looking into a scene from a horror film. Just remember that you are in good hands and as long as you are faithful to your post-operation routine, you don't have to worry about carrying nasty scars with you for the rest of your life. 

Is Excessive Sleep Part of the Deal?

It is common to be scared to go to sleep after an injury to your brain. Isn't it dangerous? Should you be scared that you won't wake up? Not after brain surgery. Sleep is your body's natural way of recovering after trauma. When you add painkillers into the mix, your going to feel sleepy all the time. Let sleep come. There is no reason to fight the impulse to sleep. Just make arrangements to be off of your feet for a few days or weeks. 

Lack of Attention

You might think that being confined to your bed or couch will give you plenty of time to binge on your favorite TV show. Just be aware that you will have the attention span of a gnat on a caffeine high. This lack of attention is nothing to be scared of, your brain hasn't short circuited, the loss of attention is nothing more than a side affect of the drugs you will have to take. 

Super Senses?

When a surgeon touches your brain, it can trigger some pretty weird side effects. For example, your senses might get more sensitive. Your nose might turn into a super sniffer, your vision may get sharper, and your taste get more acute, but before you don a cape and decide to start cashing in on your new-found abilities, just know that they will fade back to normal after a time. 

Brain surgery is a traumatic experience, and the shock of it only begins when you leave the operation room. Make sure you stay calm, get lots of help, and feel free to call your doctor about any questions you have. There's no need to feel dumb or like you are a nuisance, your doctor is there to help you through the whole experience. Recovery might be slow, but the day will come when you feel like yourself again.

To learn more, contact a company like Southwest Florida Neurosurgical Associates with any questions you have.