When Should Pain Go Away

[danceISlife]

Hi everyone!!

Okay, I'm now a little over seven months post op and I was wondering if it's normal to still have some pain and soreness from surgery. It's nothing unbearable, just fairly constant dull soreness (though some days are a bit worse than others, today including). I find it to be especially bad in the morning right when I wake up. Should I still even have any kind of soreness this far post-op?

And also, does anyone know approximately when any numb patches of skin should begin to regain feeling? I still have quite a few that haven't completely come back to normal and still feel nerve "zaps" every once in a while.

Thanks!! =]

[sccrm08]

Nicole,

I am 17 months post op and I take 800mg motrin first thing in the morning when I get up, it helps me make it thru work which is quite physical. sometimes 4 or 5 nights a week I take it before bed also, I am trying to stop that though. As for the numb spots I still have lots. Sometimes I feel as if that is getting worse instead of better. Don't get me wrong, I am in a lot less pain than I was befor the surgery. I would like to not take the Motrin at all, but then I need to work.

[discombobulated]

Hey

I know it feels like forever, but 7 months isn't that long a period for your body to be healed completely from such a trauma. I would expect your pain to continue getting better, but sometimes it does take much longer than we'd like! If you're concerned or the pain worsens over time, though, it might be worth checking in with your surgeon - even if only to put your mind at ease & see how long s/he thinks it might take.

Some things that really help me following any surgery (but esp. the spine ones) is to do some really gentle stretching first thing in the morning, throughout the day, and last thing before going to bed. I stretch arms, legs, neck, & unfused spine, & find it just helps to stretch muscles that tighten overnight & from pain. Also, slowly building muscles in the rest of your body (ab, arms, legs, etc.) will reduce the brutality of every day life on muscles in your back. Perhaps you could ask your surgeon or another doc to refer you for physiotherapy &/or hydrotherapy, if you think something like this might help you out.

As for the zaps & the numbness - again, 7 months is a whole lot shorter than it feels, lol. My zaps diminished slowly over a couple of years (ok, so I'm getting them badly again now, but that's because things are wrecked again!). The numbness also slowly improved a lot over a good couple of years, but I still have a little thoracic semi-numbness in the same patch, front & back. I can feel a little touch, I can definitely feel it itch.... but I can't feel it when I scratch!!

Well, sorry to ramble on! But...things should still improve for you :-) Wishing you the very best for a continuing smooth recovery! And goodluck with your studies.