Nerve damage after hip replacement surgeries

Good evening mackad24, and a big Happy New Year welcome to Connect. As I read the first paragraph of your post, I immediately felt that your description of the anterior/side thigh pain was very similar to what I am experiencing. I have tried similar "tricks". Here are two more for you to think about. First....do you use any ice or cold packets on your thigh? And if so is your leg elevated on a formed and elevated foam riser? That also might help.

Number #2....do you happen to have a 4" Sportime Soft Ball #009091. If not you can find them on Amazon. Turn on your side and place the ball (you may have to add some air) under the area of your thigh that is troubling you. Even if that area complains (hurts) immediately, it will calm down in a few minutes. Once you have found the "spot" and see how the nerve pain dissipates, you will be able to adjust it to your liking. It is also possible to roll on your stomach and place the ball under your thigh. Just lie quietly and the pain will be relieved considerably.

Sometimes during the day when I get up from a chair, I can feel the thigh pain sort of lock-in. Rubbing the area tightly with one hand on top of the other seems to bring some immediate relief. And of course, going back on the ball for a few minutes can be helpful.

The final step or Number #3 would be to see an MFR (myofascial release) therapist and get that area loosened up considerably. I do that twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays. The professional treatment usually lasts for several days. But just in case there is always the ball.

To find out more about MFR, you can follow this link to a discussion developed by my mentor colleague @jenniferhunter.
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/myofascial-release-therapy-mfr-for-treating-compression-and-pain/
Just to verify all of this, I spent about 6 months at the Mayo Clinic learning how to sit, walk, and stand in ways that protect my thigh from stiffening up and generating pain. I was even taught how to get up properly from a fall to prevent creating additional pain and tightness.

Like you, I tolerate the pain and discomfort but only for a few moments. Then I head for the ball and begin to sort of unwind everything. You will also begin to recognize what's coming and get started before it hits.

Please let me know if additional information is needed and I would like to know how the ball placement works for you.

May you be safe, protected, and free of inner and outer harm.
Chris

Pain for some will not be relieved by anything less than revision. Some doctors have personality defects that causes them to be cold and callus. Then there are those that are beyond repair, the maimers and killers. I think I heard it all a couple of days ago and realized that the only way to address my doctor, his association, and the hospital is through protest and demonstrations. As crippled as I am, it’s on my schedule. I’ve tried to talk with these people, it’s worthless. I am tired of trying to explain pain and where it’s coming from. I have two totally replaced hips, you don’t think I know where my pain is coming from? I want answers to my concerns from everyone in the room. I want every report from every nurse, anesthesiologist, …..everyone. You don’t have to try and tell me anything else, you want a pathway to something other than the double surgery. Imagine, debating with a physician who’s never examined you, about your body??!! It’s totally absurd and sociopathic. If you felt this pain, you would have already gave up!! So when you talk to your patient, without any concern for their pain, their life or anything. To you doc, what is it with you? What is wrong with you? You do know you operated on both of my hips right? You do knew that there were conhages during surgery, particularly in the right side. Did you tell me this post op? no. Did you mention this when I complained of problems in that side at the 30 day visit? No. Did you order an inlets sound or any injection to test for nerve damage as the symptoms appear to indicate, no. When you received the reports from PT regarding thins same side, did you assess me and examine or test or anything? No. As the problems progressed and I came to you, did you request a scan of my hips? No. You request a scan of my foot and back, it wasn’t until my refusal that the hip was include, but then the foot was excluded. Once you received the scans, did you explain the scans? No. You simply tossed them in my lay and said, probably your back or MS. I don’t get it. If there is something wrong, instead of trying to find out, you try and cover. So please, don’t take me not cussing you straight out as any minor respect for you. You hurt me pretty bad and you’ve gotten away with it for some time now. You don’t know the seriousness of my condition because you’ve never taken it seriously. I’ve already been told about my hips and how bad this outcome has been. My concerns have already been validated and by every bit of my belief and being, you knew. You knew I was hurt and you knew it would get worse. I was the 5 to 6%. But instead of being honest and caring, you chose that my life, my happiness, and my mobility was less than your pride for your surgeries. Think about, so you can feel good, no one has to no I feel bad, it doesn’t work like that. Probably should have had revision surgery as soon as I could after your would have for the right thing. Now, you want to talk about my back? God help you, you really think that I will drink the Kool-Aide too?

Chris,

Thank you so much for taking time to reply with so many helpful ways to deal with this. I will go on Amazon and check out the ball. I especially like the MFR idea. I will look into that. I presume you had THR. If so, when? And how long has your thigh numbness/nerve pain been going on? My fingers still crossed it will resolve. 🙂

Happy New Year!
Kat

Good evening @mackad2024. Hi there Kat. In reply to your post today, I guess I didn't mention that my previous surgeries did not include a THR. Last year was my second TKR. Before that, I was bothered and hampered by a laminectomy during which bone was taken from my right hip and used to fuse my lumbar spine. I had one bursa in my right hip that just refused to stay healthy. So....what a mess.

In addition, I have episodes of IT-band involvement above the knee and up the thigh to the hip. If you haven't ever had that.....it is quite painful and requires attention. About a year ago, that right hip/thigh/and knee kept collapsing and I was falling frequently. The therapists at Mayo helped me learn to prevent falling as best I could and also taught me how to get up when I was down.

From there.....I learned about the ball and the MFR. So it is all in the same vicinity and creating the same medical tragedy.

Glad you are investigating MFR. It is very helpful.

May you be free of suffering and the causes of suffering.
Chris

Six months at the Mayo Clinic! Wow, that is intensive. It sounds like you were taught to develop management options that work very well. I appreciate your sharing all this with me, Chris.

Kat

I was told I could feel numbness on the side that had the hip replacement. There is no
Pain but my thigh is still numb and now my foot swells on the side that is numb. Is that normal?

I've had 5 hip replacements and with all of them I had different recovery experiences. All in all, it takes about a year for it all to become as "normal" as it's going to get and believe me, you will feel like it's all you in there. Just stay in contact with your surgeon about anything that concerns you, and you will be fine.

It’s not that it ‘normal’ but, it’s not exactly unusual for thing to change, as you’ve had major surgery and thing get pushed, pulled and shoved around whilst your surgeon went at you with his drill and electric saw….!! My first replacement (left) hip left me with a muscle spasm that meant I had to stop’ and do a female version of Elvis’s leg shake before I could get myself moving again. The second replacement (right hip) left me with my right knee turned in and the right lower leg turned out. After a couple of years it all began affecting my lower back to the point I now can barely walk, I have use a walker for short distances or a small mobility scooter for longer distances- or use a wheelchair. I have osteoarthritis throughout my body, degeneration of my spine (probably due to aging, I’m 79) along with Fibromyalgia, so as you can imagine - things can get a tad painful at times!! Still, at least I’m still living which is still a better option than the alternative….🇬🇧🎊🥳🎉