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Post-op shin pain
I'm wondering how others who suffer severe shin pain following a knee replacement bring relief. My stomach doesn't allow me to take pain meds, only Tylenol. I've tried topical like Voltaren, Biofreeze gel & Salonpas gel with limited relief.
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It’s nerve pain and I got that too at roughly four months post-op. It lasted for about two months. My PT gave me special exercises during that period, which helped a little. I could never get pain relief, so I took medication that put me to sleep—i.e., it overrode the pain. I took 100mg of Trazodone at bedtime, but you should work with your personal physician to select the right medication for you. Rest assured that this pain will eventually go away. Good luck!
I had nerve pain with both my knee replacements. The most recent involved my shin. I try not to flex my shin when exercising. I also got a gabapentin script from my surgeon as nerve pain is quite common after knee replacement. Topical capsaicin cream/gel/ roll on also works wonders for me. Try it if you can tolerate the mild stinging. Capsaicin is made from chili pepper and interacts with pain neurons. Don’t get it on your hands or face!
I hope these ideas work. Good luck.