Burning after total knee replacement

Posted by jetter @jetter, Feb 12, 2019

why does it burn after total replacement?

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@johnbishop

Hello @glokart1957, Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I know it can be discouraging to still have pain and burning after ten months from the knee replacement. I'm a patient like yourself and can only share my personal experience and what helped me. A pinched or damaged nerve can be the source of the neuropathic pain. Icing and elevating doesn't cost you much but time. You could try it to see if it has any effect. @artscaping and others may have some tips they can share with you.

Do you have any swelling with the knee or problems with flexion? Also did you have any tests to diagnose the neuropathy?

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Yes, much swelling still in my leg and foot. I was also told I had blood clots..put on blood thinners....but two tests since thatdo not show this. However, a vascular doctor said that there is a problem with circulation ... blood not getting back to my heart in the bad veins so suggested compression hose and possible a vein procedure if that doesn’t help.But... I am concerned about causing any more issues with this leg. Too many things going wrong since this TKR. 🙁

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@glokart1957

Yes, much swelling still in my leg and foot. I was also told I had blood clots..put on blood thinners....but two tests since thatdo not show this. However, a vascular doctor said that there is a problem with circulation ... blood not getting back to my heart in the bad veins so suggested compression hose and possible a vein procedure if that doesn’t help.But... I am concerned about causing any more issues with this leg. Too many things going wrong since this TKR. 🙁

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@glokart1957, My cardiologist prescribed compression socks for me also (20 to 30 mmHg). I had trouble getting them on even after I was shown how to do it. I finally went online and found some socks with the same compression that had side zippers which made it a lot easier to put on and take off. The compression socks will help with the swelling that occurs during the day due to standing or sitting a lot.

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@glokart1957

Yes, much swelling still in my leg and foot. I was also told I had blood clots..put on blood thinners....but two tests since thatdo not show this. However, a vascular doctor said that there is a problem with circulation ... blood not getting back to my heart in the bad veins so suggested compression hose and possible a vein procedure if that doesn’t help.But... I am concerned about causing any more issues with this leg. Too many things going wrong since this TKR. 🙁

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I am not providing medical advice only perspective from experience but I am 11 months post tkr and the burning sensation stayed with me at least 4-5 months as well as extreme entire lowwer leg tight pressure for now at 11 months but will say that is a bit less extreme for about a month.Don't know about you, but I truly think the tourniquet used during aurgery causes trauma to the sciatic and peronial aspect of the nerve that takes ions of time to resolve. Myself , I would be reluctant to any intervention before 12-18 months post surgery. Too many guesses what the problem is without quantitive evidence. Since we don't all heal at the same rate or have the same amount of bone erosion that needed removed, who can accurately say it is this or that and do something just to be doing something.
My husband had tkr sailing through without any effects like I am experiencing and was on his lawnmower 12 days post surgery....no way for me!!!...I didn't care if I even woke up at that same point.
If you can walk and feel more stability than before surgery, count that as positive and be patient. Have you been advised to increase B vitamins to facilitate nerve healing? If not, do some research on your own.
Hope this offers some hope.
Even with not feeling completely without issues, at least the burning pain resolved for me and the entire lower leg tight pressure has improved since 10 mos of feeling hopeless.

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This is a big help, thank you!

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@johnbishop

Hello @wesallbritton, Welcome to Connect and thank you for your suggestion. Sometimes is seems like a no brainer to talk with the doctor if you are in pain but there are some of us including me that try to tough it out which sometimes makes things worse.

It sounds like your TKR went well. I'm a few months over a year from my right TKR and fortunately did not have much pain but did have a lot of swelling because I didn't do what the care team told me to do - ice and elevate frequently. My frequently was not the same as theirs and at my follow up appointment the surgeon explained what he meant in no uncertain terms 🙂

Did you have any burning or pain after your TKR?

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I had a TKR 2 weeks ago (2/9/2021) and am doing pretty well. The Oxycodone made me very nauseous so my doc gave me Tramadol which hasn’t been very effective. I do pretty well during the day, but at night I have burning on the inner side of my knee that only allows me to sleep a couple hours before it wakes me up. I guess it doesn’t bother me as much during the day because I am distracted by other things. It drives me crazy at night! I remove my elastic stockings at night to give my legs a break. The only thing that has brought me any relief is ice packs. Have others experienced this burning sensation and if so, what helped you? Also, what has helped with nausea after taking Oxycodone? I’d love to take a dose before bedtime if that helps but the nausea has stopped me. Thoughts?

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@womenfly

I had a TKR 2 weeks ago (2/9/2021) and am doing pretty well. The Oxycodone made me very nauseous so my doc gave me Tramadol which hasn’t been very effective. I do pretty well during the day, but at night I have burning on the inner side of my knee that only allows me to sleep a couple hours before it wakes me up. I guess it doesn’t bother me as much during the day because I am distracted by other things. It drives me crazy at night! I remove my elastic stockings at night to give my legs a break. The only thing that has brought me any relief is ice packs. Have others experienced this burning sensation and if so, what helped you? Also, what has helped with nausea after taking Oxycodone? I’d love to take a dose before bedtime if that helps but the nausea has stopped me. Thoughts?

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Hi I had my TKR on 12/15/20. I’m just over 10 weeks. I’m have complications but as far as the oxy it made me sick also but about the only thing that helped the pain . After 2 weeks I got a script of Norco and Motrin to make it through therapy. The Oxy was also raising my blood pressure. That burning sensation is terrible . I suffered with it for a few weeks and used ice. It went away but recently came back for a couple of weeks. I’m not sure what it’s from but wondering if is from intense exercise . Having problems with my bend. I see the surgeon tomorrow. I have lots of questions so I’ll see what he says about that burn . Take care. I’ll update you on info .

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I assume you always elevate and ice after exercise.

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@janete718

Hi I had my TKR on 12/15/20. I’m just over 10 weeks. I’m have complications but as far as the oxy it made me sick also but about the only thing that helped the pain . After 2 weeks I got a script of Norco and Motrin to make it through therapy. The Oxy was also raising my blood pressure. That burning sensation is terrible . I suffered with it for a few weeks and used ice. It went away but recently came back for a couple of weeks. I’m not sure what it’s from but wondering if is from intense exercise . Having problems with my bend. I see the surgeon tomorrow. I have lots of questions so I’ll see what he says about that burn . Take care. I’ll update you on info .

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Anxious to hear what he says. I had a TKR one whole year ago, FEb 2020, and still have terrible burning pain in my knee quite often. . Still don’t have any answers as X-rays from 2 different orthopedic doctors show that “everything is fine.” Ice does not seem to help.

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@glokart1957

Anxious to hear what he says. I had a TKR one whole year ago, FEb 2020, and still have terrible burning pain in my knee quite often. . Still don’t have any answers as X-rays from 2 different orthopedic doctors show that “everything is fine.” Ice does not seem to help.

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I only have urning in the knee that has plain titanium. Not in the knee that has a ceramic coating on the titanium...could this be the cause???

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