Nerve pain after surgery
Nerve pain can occur after surgery.It is essential to treat these as soon as possible, as pain can have a negative effect on the healing process. Post-operative pain can be caused either by direct damage to the nerve or by a cause that puts a strain on the nerve. The operation does not necessarily have to be an operation close to the nerve, such as a disc surgery.
However, nerve pain naturally occurs more frequently after such operations. If the nerve is irritated, cut or torn during the operation, or if it is completely severed, nerve pain is very likely to occur. A severing of the nerve is particularly critical – not only are all functions that were mediated by the nerve lost, but there is also a risk that the patient will develop therapy-resistant phantom pain.
In addition to the direct influence on the nerve, external influences are important in the development of postoperative pain. On the one hand, the surgery may not have been performed as intended. The pathological change, for example the herniated disc, still exists and affects the nerve.
On the other hand, the consequences of the operation can affect a nerve. Bleeding or swelling in the area of the operation or infection can cause renewed complaints. When treating nerve pain after surgery, normal postoperative painkillers are used, as the pain often subsides.
In addition, further treatment measures should be taken to promote the healing process and recovery of the nerve tissue. Physiotherapy is used successfully in many cases of nerve pain. Heat wraps, electrotherapy (TENS) and acupuncture have proven to be pain-relieving in the past.
Nerve pain in certain parts of the body
Nerve pain in the back differs significantly from back pain of other origins, which can have a variety of causes. In most cases, the nerve pain is one-sided. Since both left and right nerve cords emerge from the spinal column, usually only one side is damaged and then causes more or less problems.
In one in 10 cases, back pain is caused by pathological changes in the intervertebral discs or damage to the surrounding region. Not only the classic herniated disc (prolapse) plays an important role here, but also injuries. In the case of a herniated disc, a protrusion of a disc into the space of the spinal cord occurs after usually lengthy changes.
This compresses the spinal cord and can lead to the compression of nerve roots (radiculopathy), which emerge laterally from the spinal cord. If the corresponding nerve root supplies parts of the back, massive pain can result. A special clinical picture here is lumboischialgia.
This is a combination of two syndromes: sciatica and lumbago. The disease is usually accompanied by a very deep herniated disc (or other deep-seated impairment of the spinal cord). The strong compression of the lower nerve roots not only causes massive back pain, but also radiates the pain into the patient’s legs.
A simple lumbago, on the other hand, is often based on a vertebral blockage that can be resolved by manual therapy. Spinal column injuries are also based on a similar disease process – if a vertebral body breaks, there is the possibility of compression. An accident is not necessarily responsible for the injury.
Bone changes caused by the disease osteoporosis can also make the bone so brittle that it breaks under low stress. Older women are particularly often affected. After the menopause, the hormone balance (especially the oestrogen level) of the woman changes, which has an effect on the bone structure.
Other space-consuming processes can be tumors or abscesses. Shingles and its causative virus, herpes zoster, can also cause nerve pain. After the virus triggers the common chickenpox at its initial infection, which usually occurs in childhood, it remains in the body of every patient until the end of his or her life.
The pathogen attaches itself to nerve knots and can break out there again at times. This can be caused by a weakened immune system, stress situations or various other circumstances.When it breaks out, herpes zoster triggers an inflammation of the nerves, which, in addition to a rash in the innervation area (area supplied by the nerve), can also lead to severe pain. The nerve pain can last longer than the actual infection.
This is called postzosteric neuralgia. Nerve pain in the leg is not only distressing because of the pain, but is often accompanied by severe limitations for the patient. Movement and prolonged standing are usually difficult and can lead to a reduction in the patient’s quality of life – both socially and professionally.
The most common cause of nerve pain in the leg is sciatica. The pain radiates from the buttocks into the leg and is caused by the sciatic nerve. The impairment of the nerve, which usually results from an existing pressure load, can be triggered by various circumstances.
Muscle tension is the most harmless cause of sciatica, but in many cases vertebral body blockages, disc protrusions or herniated discs also play a role. Surgery affecting the hip joint or surrounding structures can result in damage to the sciatic nerve. The sciatica syndrome with associated nerve pain in the leg can also be triggered by inflammation or tumors, although this is less common.
Sciatica can be recognized by the relatively characteristic pain symptoms. Extremely severe pain suddenly occurs, which spreads from the lower back via the lumbar spine, then via the buttocks into the legs – mainly into the back of the thighs. The pain can continue into the foot region.
In addition to the pain, sensory disturbances occur, which patients describe as numbness or tingling. Strong movements such as uncontrolled coughing or sneezing aggravate the pain because pressure is built up in the abdomen. Movement of the upper body, hips and legs is extremely limited.
In most cases, only one leg is affected by the pain. Typically, a relieving posture can be observed in many patients: the upper body is tilted to the healthy side in order to relieve pressure from the loaded nerve root. The nerve roots that emerge from the spinal cord at the end of the spine are responsible for controlling continence.
In the case of severe ischialgia, problems can occur with bowel movements, but also with urination. In the foot, pain is usually caused by injuries to the joint or the ligamentous apparatus. However, nerve pain can also be responsible for stabbing pain for which the normal painkilling medication is not sufficient.
The treatment of the aching foot is urgently needed because the constant strain causes increased pain and the patient’s level of suffering is very high. Also in the case of nerve pain in the foot, the cause is usually the pinching of the nerve in question. This can be caused by foot malpositions or shoes that are too tight.
Women are particularly often affected by such pain, as they tend to wear tighter shoes with heels. A tarsal tunnel syndrome can also lead to nerve entrapment. The development of this clinical picture is similar to carpal tunnel syndrome – only on the leg instead of the wrist.
Rarely are infections, tumors or medication to blame for pain in the foot. So-called neuropathic pain is much more common in existing diabetes mellitus. The high blood sugar level damages the vessels and nerves and thus leads to sensations and pain.
During treatment, a wide range of painkillers should be tried out, since only a few drugs provide relief from nerve pain. If a therapy-resistant case exists, the nerve can be surgically exposed and desensitized (made insensitive). In diabetic nerve pain, a good blood sugar level and the administration of alpha-lipoic acid and vitamin B preparations usually promise an improvement.
Nerve pain occurring in the face is extremely unpleasant. Patients experience pain when touching and moving the face throughout the day. Even a draft of air that passes over the skin can cause pain.
The intensity of the pain is hardly comparable – affected persons often indicate the highest possible pain level in their classification, which is why it is also called “pain of destruction”.The most common disease associated with nerve pain in the face is trigeminal neuralgia. The fifth cranial nerve, the trigeminal nerve, is usually damaged or inflamed. It supplies the face with pain-sensitive nerve fibers on all levels.
The pain symptoms are characterized by their enormous intensity and their seizure-like occurrence. A trigeminal neuralgia can be triggered by many different underlying diseases. Carbamazepine, which is actually a drug for the treatment of epilepsy, is used in the therapy.
In this area of application, it has a pain-preventing effect, since normal painkillers have no effect in classic trigeminal neuralgia. In surgical procedures, extraordinary care must be taken, as otherwise lifelong sensory disturbances in the face may remain. All parts of the arm can be affected by predominant nerve pain.
Starting with the hand, the pain can extend over the forearm and upper arm and into the shoulder region. The problems are often noticed during everyday movements, which are suddenly associated with pain. Lifting the arms above the head, morning hygiene or dressing can be the trigger of the first pain symptoms.
The damage to the nerve is often caused by repeated incorrect strain. Here always play the same courses of action in the occupation, as well as general body postures an important role. If muscles are repeatedly incorrectly loaded, the muscle strands harden.
This can affect not only one muscle, but also groups of muscles that work together. The hardened muscle area presses on the nerve and can, among other causes, lead to nerve inflammation (neuritis) with subsequent nerve pain. The symptomatology is specific to the area supplied by the affected nerve.
In addition to pain, sensations and even movement disorders can occur. Since the level of suffering from nerve pain in the arm is very high, pain prevention therapy is the method of choice. Here, drugs that are actually used to treat depression or epilepsy are prescribed. An overview of all neurological topics can also be found under Neurology A-Z.
- Nerve pain in the back
- Spinal cord
- CNS
- Amputation
- Spinal canal stenosis
- Nerve damage
- The Morton Neurom
- Pinched nerve at the hip
- Phantom Pain
- Burning in the fingers