Removal of the uterus (hysterectomy) is a frequently performed and usually minimally invasive operation. Nevertheless, pain in the pelvic area can occur after the procedure. These pains can be treated well with painkillers and subside after some time. If other symptoms, such as fever, should occur in addition to the pain after hysterectomy, it must be clarified whether an infection or other complications are present.
Causes
Minimally invasive surgery is often used for hysterectomy. This means that no large incision is made, but only a few small incisions. Nevertheless, a lot of tissue around the uterus is irritated or injured during the operation.
Especially the displacement of tissue and organs and the injury of nerve fibers can be the cause of postoperative pain. These can then persist for a few days to weeks after the operation. It is important to distinguish between regular pain after hysterectomy and complications of the operation.
The normal postoperative pain can usually be relieved well by pain therapy. In addition, there are no other symptoms except perhaps fatigue. Severe pain in combination with fever or redness at the sutures, for example, can be caused by an infection.
This must be clarified then absolutely. Pain as a sign of a complication is often more intense and has a different characteristic. After the operation, small tubes are inserted in the operating room so that the wound fluid can drain away to the outside. Although these tubes represent a small foreign body, they can still be the cause of pain. As soon as the tubes are removed a few days after the operation, many women report an improvement in the pain symptoms.
Associated symptoms
A slight fatigue for a few weeks after the surgery is normal. In addition to the pain in the area of the operation, pain in the neck area can also be caused by the anesthesia. For general anesthesia, a breathing tube is inserted into the trachea.
This can irritate the mucous membrane and lead to sore throat, difficulty swallowing and hoarseness. However, these symptoms are only temporary and usually do not last longer than a few days. There may also be pain due to the positioning during surgery in various parts of the body.
The removal of the uterus is an operation which takes place in the lower abdomen or pelvis. Therefore the pain after the removal is also localized in this area. Pelvic pain can occur at the site of the operation and the puncture sites can also trigger painful stimuli.
After a hysterectomy, the risk of increased pain during urination (dysuria) is increased. This can be temporary pain, but there are also cases where the pain persists. Other symptoms that can occur in connection with the pain when urinating are more frequent urination, increased night-time urination (nocturia) and stress incontinence.
Pain in the groin may indicate nerve compression due to surgery or the formation of scar tissue. Depending on which nerve is affected, the pain may also radiate into the abdominal area or the labia. Such pain must be differentiated from normal post-operative pain, which may radiate from the lower abdomen into the groin.
Sexual intercourse should only take place again four to six weeks after the removal of the uterus. During surgery, the upper end of the vagina is closed after the uterus has been removed. This area can be painful for some women even later.
Usually, pain during intercourse will subside after a few months after the operation, so that intercourse can take place as before the operation. Abdominal pain can occur solely due to the stimuli of the operation. The bowel must be held upwards during the operation so that it is not injured by the operation.
This movement can cause diarrhea or even abdominal pain a few days after the operation. However, abdominal pain can also be a symptom of another postoperative disease. Urinary tract infections often occur after surgery. In addition to abdominal pain, burning sensation when urinating and frequent urge to urinate occur. In some cases, pneumonia can also manifest itself with abdominal pain.