What effect does effective pain management have on postoperative recovery?

Effective pain management plays a critical role in postoperative recovery by enhancing patient comfort, facilitating mobility, and ultimately improving overall outcomes. When pain is adequately controlled, patients are more likely to participate in activities essential for recovery, such as ambulation and physical therapy. This increased mobility helps to prevent complications commonly associated with surgery, such as deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary issues.

Moreover, when patients experience less pain, their stress levels decrease, which can positively impact their physiological responses and support healing. Good pain management can also lead to shorter hospital stays since patients are able to meet recovery milestones more quickly when they do not have to struggle with unmanaged pain.

In contrast, inadequate pain control may lead to slower recovery, prolonging the healing process and increasing the likelihood of complications, which aligns with why option B is the best answer.