Numbness and burning after knee replacement
3 weeks after knee replacement I experience severe numbness and burning on the leg (not the knee) above and below the knee, mostly at night. Nothing relieves it and I have great difficulty sleeping at night. Is this normal? What should I do?
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No
I want to clarify something in the above. Ths was the first surgery for my hubby and I. The doc had 32 years of experience.
I also believe it is just as important not only to find a good surgeon but find an exceptional physical therapist
Good point Sue. I was just thinking about my first surgery on my knee when the very first time the nurses got me out of bed my ut to left, and then goes down to ankle). I had problems like that for 4 Imonths until the next surgery. Anytime I would extend my leg it would go out of alignment.
Looking back I bet that sure hurt a lot of nerves and muscles each time it did it. I started having that tingling, burning pain the next day to the point I would cry...the nurses would give me pain meds but then didn't help. For almost 10 months it hurt to even put a light blanket on that leg! That is why I ended up sleeping in the recliner which is not at all that comfortable.
Also had that "pouch" where they pull back the skin to get to the knee. The first operation it was oh so tender and hurt. I would tell Doc. He would look at it, push and ask me where it hurt, which I told him. Then tell me that he'll check it out at next visit, that it had to heal.
Still have that "pouch" and it is a tad tender, but not at all like it was with that 1st surgery.
On the leg pain, consistent, I can now start off in bed, but after about 2-3 hours I'm up and back in the recliner which helps because the top and sides of my leg don't touch anything. After a few hours there I go back and try to sleep in bed again. The 18th of Jan. will be a full year of me doing that. It has gotten old and Hubby doesn't get a good nights rest because I am always up and down.
Oh, the leg pain was when the Doc told me it wasn't due to the leg but some other problem! That is what he told the nurse that called him the first night I couldn't sleep because the nerve pain (didn't know it was that then) was so bad.