Burning after total knee replacement

Posted by jetter @jetter, Feb 12, 2019

why does it burn after total replacement?

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@pat20

I had my TKR on November 14, 20 19 and I have had quite a bit of pain mostly at night. The burning pain did not start until December. It does it burn all the time but when it hits it feels like five wasp are stinging me. I can’t sleep at night, it’s usually 3 o’clock or 4 o’clock before I can go to sleep at night. I have been back to the surgeon and he re-X-rayed my Knee and said it was okay. I just wish the surgeons would tell you what to expect, even though I know everyone is not the same

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@pat20 I had a lot of pain after my last TKR in October 2017. Like yours, it was not immediate but shortly after. It lasted somewhere between 4 to 6 weeks and then got better very quickly. During that time my surgeon took xrays and was seeing me regularly. He was concerned also. We were both very happy when I was suddenly virtually pain-free. I hope yours will lift as mine did. If not then I hope your surgeon will see you again and try to figure out the problem.
JK

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@connie1559

When did you have your TKR? Is there a specific area that burns? Do you feel the burning all the time? Have you felt it from the beginning or has the burning feeling developed over a few days? Is your discomfort from the burning relieved by pain meds, if you’re taking pain meds? Is the burning relieved by icing?

For the first 1-1/2 weeks after my recent right TKR, I felt a lot of a burning type pain each time I lowered my leg after having it elevated. I assumed it was a circulation issue. I now experience a burning, tingling feeling in the patella area. It lasts from a couple of seconds to a couple of minutes. It’s bearable but it definitely gets my attention each time it happens.

There are lots of supportive TKR folks here with countless experiences going through the TKR process. I hope someone can answer your question. Good luck!

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I had tkr only 3 days ago and tonight the burning pain has been really. Screamed, cried iced did all I know to do and it still hurts so bad.. what can I do..

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@alyndianne

I had tkr only 3 days ago and tonight the burning pain has been really. Screamed, cried iced did all I know to do and it still hurts so bad.. what can I do..

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@alyndianne I never had a burning pain, but I did have plain old, regular pain. As I commented above, mine was not immediate but started a little while later. There were times it brought me to tears and I was very upset because my first TKR was not that painful. After the pain abated though that knee was much better than the other it and never causes me any discomfort at all.
It's still very early for you. Try to bear it and it should get better. If not then call your surgeon and he will probably want to see you as mine did, and perhaps take an Xray.
JK

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At 11 months after tkr and if sit more than 30 minutes, it starts to pain when and continuously pop very loud when walking. My knee hurts 24/7. I ice all day long. My yearly followup is 4/16/2020 but I have seen my doctor or his PA about 5 times and texted. They keep saying I am doing great, no infection. But I am wondering if piece has loosen.

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@maxy

At 11 months after tkr and if sit more than 30 minutes, it starts to pain when and continuously pop very loud when walking. My knee hurts 24/7. I ice all day long. My yearly followup is 4/16/2020 but I have seen my doctor or his PA about 5 times and texted. They keep saying I am doing great, no infection. But I am wondering if piece has loosen.

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@maxy That's a long time for your knee to be bothering you still. Has your doctor had any Xrays done? In the early days of being post-TKR I had a lot of pain and my doctor was seeing me frequently and had Xrays done. They showed nothing, but for me the pain resolved at about six weeks TKR so we have no idea what caused it. If he has not had an Xray done perhaps you should suggest it. If you still do not get any resolution from that doctor you may want to consider changing to a different doctor, someone who is definitely highly regarded. From what I have heard on here if you want to see a different doctor most will not see you if you are within a year of the TKR but you are almost there. You should not have to live in pain.
JK

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@gator1965

I still have burning pain 10 months after total knee replacement. I think this is quite common

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It’s been almost six months since my TKR and I have terrible burning on the right side of my knee. My doctor prescribed Voltairen gel but it doesn’t really help much. Dr. wants to prescribe Gabapentin, but I am afraid of the side effects. Has anyone been prescribed Gabapentin. Does it work?

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I had similar issues but 6 months seems a little early (to me) as total recovery is thought to be 9-12 months out. I tried the gel and gabapentine but this was at the 1 1/2 - 2 years out. I also tried Lyracia. For me nothing worked which was disappointing as many co workers got some relief. And I was taking 600 mg 3x day. It takes a period of time to get to the max dose (About 2 weeks) but then you need to taper back down to discontinue. This is important to not stop cold turkey. The biggest issue with these two meds is the drowsiness- which is how they work to calm the pain down. I would wait to take one dose when I got to work as to not be drowsy with driving.
Have you tried other options or any Techniques to desensitize that area, TENS? Massage or other manual techniques? Weight/pressure on your knee- This is one way to desensitize. Acupuncture?
I hope you can get some relief. I plan to follow to see what others suggest. It’s very frustrating to say the least.

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Thank you. Tried massage. It seems to be worse after exercise. I guess I need to be more patient. I had a problem with the ligaments in my knee; they were stretched out, so I also had to have intramedullary rods in my femur and tibia when I had TKR. Icing helps somewhat. I am trying to avoid taking Tramadol.

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@angviv

Thank you. Tried massage. It seems to be worse after exercise. I guess I need to be more patient. I had a problem with the ligaments in my knee; they were stretched out, so I also had to have intramedullary rods in my femur and tibia when I had TKR. Icing helps somewhat. I am trying to avoid taking Tramadol.

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May God Bless all of you that think your burning painful knees will ever go away. I had both knees replaced eight years ago and have been living with the burning and aching ever since. I have been on everything from Gabapentin to Oxycontin. Nothing helps. Doctors dont know why. I finally decided this is the way it is so live with it. Oh ya. I am very depressed but when its over. Its over. May God Bless. Charlie

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@coaltrain

May God Bless all of you that think your burning painful knees will ever go away. I had both knees replaced eight years ago and have been living with the burning and aching ever since. I have been on everything from Gabapentin to Oxycontin. Nothing helps. Doctors dont know why. I finally decided this is the way it is so live with it. Oh ya. I am very depressed but when its over. Its over. May God Bless. Charlie

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So sorry you are experiencing such pain. I am praying mine will go away in the next six months. Doctors don’t tell you this could happen when you have your consultation. I know 5 people who have had TKR and they tell me the burning went away after one year, so I hope this happens in my case too. This was not the outcome I expected and would not ever do my other knee, no matter how painful it is to walk. Six months in and I am back to how I was before the operation in terms of stiffness and pain. I would not ever recommend this operation.
God Bless you too Charlie.

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