Total Hip Replacement Pain

Posted by fignolia @fignolia, Feb 11 4:21am

I had a hip replacement yesterday, and when I got home, the pain was very tolerable. I woke up this morning to searing pain on my thigh. Later in the day, the incision took on a burning sensation. Anyone else had this same situation? If so, when does the pain die down?

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gravity3 | @gravity3 | Feb 11 5:33am

Are you following your surgeons pain med.schedule and keeping ahead of the pain or are you trying to treat it after the pain is already ramping up? Call your surgical team for a phone consult.

Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Feb 11 8:51am

@fignolia To add to the question above, are you keeping ice on the surgical area? You should have been sent home with instructions to ice, ice, ice for the first few days almost non-stop. This keeps swelling down and relieves pain.

I second the advice to call the surgeon - the pain from hip replacement should not be so intense - I have had five replacements/revisions, and as long as I iced and took pain meds, it was never that intense, even the first night.

kaki068 | @kaki068 | Feb 12 2:35pm

Oh no! I’m so sorry. The same thing happened to me! I couldn’t tolerate the searing pain so my husband took me to the ER. I found out then that I was having a horrible reaction to the Tegaderm covering my incision. The ER nurses cleaned all the Tegaderm off my thigh and covered my incision with gauze and paper tape. The skin all around my incision looked so red and blistered; like it had been burned. It really was a burn! My skin had areas that were so blistered and broken down that it was weeping. (Sorry. TMI, I know.) Please call your doctor or go to the ER. If you are having a reaction, you need to get some help with it. I eventually felt a lot better once I was treated. I hope you feel better soon!

steveinarizona | @steveinarizona | Feb 13 9:30am

I didn't need immediate contact with my surgeon post surgery but his telephone system has a choice for speaking directly with him or his primary PA. After hours he provides an emergency phone number that will be answered by either his primary PA or himself.

A joint replacement is major surgery.

tallbackhip | @tallbackhip | Feb 14 12:42pm

Agree with previous comments, be sure you are in touch and report progress and any concerns to the contact phone number or MyChart or electronic health records mechanism you were likely given on discharge (probably given in preoperative education also).
Pain in the first few days should be zero or minimal if all went well, and I am presuming anesthesia gave you a block to pain for 48 to 72 hours, plus your doctor providing meds (such as regular doses of acetaminophen, celecoxib or other NSAID, possibly other types of pain and inflammation relievers). Ice is also recommended, as mentioned by Sue.
Some pain after three days isn't unusual, all thru the first weeks, but stay in touch with your "team ".
Best wishes