pain after surgery

6 Tips For Controlling Pain After Surgery

/ Thomas Cohn, MD

chronic painSurgery can be just what you need to overcome a painful and debilitating condition, but odds are you won’t experience that relief overnight. In fact, it’s common to experience pain and discomfort for a short period of time after the operation as your body works to adapt to the trauma of surgery. You can take solace in knowing that this post-surgical discomfort will fade, but life can be a little more comfortable if you work to control your post-op pain.

In today’s blog, we share six tips for controlling pain after surgery.

Managing Pain After An Operation

Here’s a look at six ways that you can work to control and decrease post-surgical discomfort.

1. Prehab – You don’t have to wait until after your surgery is complete to start working to become physically stronger. The stronger you are prior to surgery, the stronger you will be after your operation, and that can help to support joints and other structures that have been addressed during surgery. Ask your doctor for some exercises that you can perform before your operation.

2. Medication Management – Odds are you are going to be given some medications to help manage discomfort following your operation, but you need to take them in a specific manner in order for them to be most effective. Your care team will provide you with dosage instructions, but make sure that you understand how you are expected to handle your medications before you discharge or leave the pharmacy. Taking medications outside of your dosage instructions can lead to a number of issues, so if you have questions or are running into any issues, reach out to your care team.

3. Early Movement – You should always follow the specific recovery instructions of your treating physician, but don’t be surprised if they recommend early movement and activity. Odds are you won’t be told to stay in bed for weeks while your body recovers, because your body needs movement and controlled stress to improve circulation and become stronger. If allowed by your surgeon, make sure that you are up and moving as soon as it is allowed to help jump start the recovery process and limit pain or discomfort.

4. Physical Therapy –  In many instances, physical therapy will be the most effective treatment following an operation in terms of pain control and functional improvement. PT will help your structures become stronger, mobile and more stable, all of which help to control pain. Make sure that you are doing your PT exercises as directed and you never skip an appointment during your recovery.

5. Mind Your Mental Health – It’s easy to focus on your physical condition after surgery, but don’t overlook your mental and emotional health, because they are closely tied to your pain levels. Anxiety and depression can intensify pain sensations and our perception of pain, so make sure that you are caring for your mental health after an operation. Get outside, talk with friends or family and partake in activities that are energizing to your physical and mental health.

6. Connect With A Pain Specialist – If you are dealing with lingering pain or you just want to have some additional assistance managing a pain condition following your operation, connect with a specialist like Dr. Cohn. Pain is highly unique to the individual, but we will work hard to help find personalized ways to help you overcome your pain and improve your overall physical function. For more information, or for help with a different pain issue, reach out to Dr. Cohn’s office today at (952) 738-4580.

Chronic Pain After Surgery

/ Thomas Cohn, MD

chronic pain cpspIn the vast majority of cases, a surgical procedure helps to eliminate or reduce pain in the targeted area. However, in rare cases, complications or unforeseen circumstances can result in the onset of what’s known as chronic postsurgical pain.

Today, we’re going to take a closer look at CPSP, and how it is prevented and treated.

Treating Chronic Pain After Surgery

Medical experts define chronic postsurgical pain as pain that persists for at least two months after surgery and is not attributable to a preexisting condition. Oftentimes CPSP is considered neuropathic in nature, and patients describe the pain as shooting, burning, tingling or electrical in nature. Some procedures that have a higher rate of CPSP after surgery include:

  • Amputation
  • Coronary artery bypass surgery
  • Thoracotomy
  • Spine surgery
  • Breast surgery
  • Hip surgery
  • Hysterectomy
  • Inguinal hernia repair
  • Cesarean section

Doctors believe that CPSP develops because stress from the operation, inflammation or nerve damage results in neuronal hypersensitivity that results in the expression of chronic pain flare ups long after the surgical site has healed.

Risks and Prevention

There are a number of factors that increase a person’s risk of developing chronic postsurgical pain after an operation. Those factors include undergoing repeat surgeries, lengthy surgeries, open procedures instead of minimally invasive surgeries, and undergoing an operation in a previously injured area. On the doctor’s end, a surgeon can increase a person’s risk of developing CPSP if there is intraoperative nerve damage, which is more likely to occur in difficult operations, surgeries involving severe trauma, or surgeries near the spinal cord and central nervous system.

The main way surgical teams prevent CPSP is through surgical techniques and improved operative practices. If possible, the surgeon will opt for a laparoscopic procedure in lieu of an open procedure, because minimally invasive options have a decreased likelihood of CPSP. Another thing surgical teams will do is carefully administer analgesic agents with different mechanisms of actions during the pre-, intra- and post-operative periods. These approaches reduce peripheral and central sensitization and are associated with enhanced efficacy and fewer adverse reactions.

Should you develop CPSP after an operation, reach out to a chronic pain doctor in your area to see what solutions are available to you.