Warm feet, less pain: simple heat therapy after surgery shows promise

This study tested whether applying heat to the feet with a hot-water bottle could reduce pain and belly swelling after gallbladder removal. 82 adults who had surgery were split into two groups: one received foot heat for 15 minutes each hour for the first four hours after surgery, while the other received standard care. Researchers measured pain and bloating at several time points and found that this simple, nurse-led treatment may improve comfort without medication.