Sensation of touch

[fiddlestix]

Hi Everyone, I am 5 wks post op today and am doing very well. I am almost completely pain free aside from some hip pain. I still have stiffness and such but I expect that for a while. I do have a question for those of you who have had surgery. After surgery a lot of my back and both hips had lost a lot of sensation to touch. Most has improved a bit over the last few weeks however there is still a band all the way across my back about 2 inches wide that is almost completely dead to touch. I can't feel any sensation at all there and in the rare moments that I do its a painful touch....Does this improve? Is there anything any of you have found that helps this? Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thank you

[LindaRacine]

Hi...

Post op numbness is really common. I think that, for most of us, sensation eventually returns, at least to most of the area. A physical therapist told me to use items of different textures to brush across the areas of numbness, while I thought of what they should feel like. I used a brush, a feather, and a soft cloth. I was really surprised at how quickly the feeling returned after being numb for several years. My understanding is that our brains need to make new pathways to reattach the severed nerves. Apparently thinking about how something should feel helps that along.

You're doing great to be off pain meds at 5 weeks. Keep up the good work, but don't overdo anything!

Regards,
Linda

[Cena75]

Hi fiddlestix,
I'm six weeks post op and still have the numbness across my hips and back too. I remember this from previous surgeries, but didn't know about those tips! Linda, thanks for the ideas! Fiddlestix, I'm noticing that I have little pain as well.

[fiddlestix]

Thanks for the tips Linda...I will give them a try.

Glad to hear that you are doing well and have little pain as well Cena. I hope things continue to improve and go well for you.

[Cena75]

Thanks fiddlestix! Was this your first surgery? What did you have done? How has sitting been? If you would like, feel free to PM me. Hope all is well!

[sweetness514]

I remember that for my first and last surgery(third), I a lot less pain between the 5-6 weeks mark and the two-three month mark post op, and I think that's b/c my nerves were numb and after that period I started to feel more and the pain was on and off, but that's healing.