While post-surgical pain in general is common, not all pain sensations are the same.
This article looks at some of the different types of pain you may haveafter surgery.
It also discusses ways to manage your pain.
Olive / Getty Images
Olive / Getty Images
Nociceptive Pain
Nociceptivepainis the most common pop in of pain.
For example, a surgeon must cut through the muscles of theabdominalwall to remove an inflamed appendix.
The pain that comes from those muscles is a deep somatic pain.
The process of cutting into an organ can cause visceral pain.
It may also be caused byappendicitis.
It may even seem like it’s coming from another part of your body.
This makes it hard to pinpoint its origins.
This is known asdeep vein thrombosis(DVT).
Neuropathic Pain
Neuropathicpain is because of damage to nerve cells.
This damage can be a result of surgery.
It can also be triggered by injury or diseases likediabetes.
This happens because the brain gets bundled information from different parts of the body through one set of nerves.
This kind of pain may happen during aheart attack.
Some heart attack patients have referred pain in the left arm.
This is because the nerve signals from the heart and arm are sent to the brain together.
Phantom Limb Pain
Phantom limbpain is a unique phenomenon.
The name “phantom limb pain” can be misleading.
This pain can happen in other body parts, too.
People who havehad a breast or other non-limb body part removedmay also feel this kind of pain.
In the past, phantom limb pain was thought to be psychological.
It is now known that it originates in the nervous system.
Some people with this condition can simply feel the presence of the amputated body part.
Others may experience:
What to Do About Pain After Surgery
Pain after surgery is normal.
Your surgeon will prescribe or recommendpain medicationfor you to take after your procedure.
This does not necessarily mean you will have no pain.
It means your pain will be tolerable.
Contact your surgeon if your pain suddenly increases or becomes unmanageable.
This can be a sign of a setback in your recovery.
Your pain should slowly improve each day.
“Toughing it out” can actually slow your recovery.
It can also prevent you from getting up and moving in the days and weeks after surgery.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like Motrin (ibuprofen) are typically used for 10 days or fewer.
Addiction is rare when they are used for five days or fewer.Always follow your doctor’s instructions.
Summary
It is common to experience pain after surgery.
There are several different types of pain, however, with different symptoms.
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