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1 week post op… horrible nerve pain
Hi all. I’m a 30 y/o male that had open mesh repair done for a left side inguinal hernia last week at UCLA. On Day 2 I attempted some light walking and noticed a uniquely horrible burning sensation at the crease of where my left inner thigh meets my groin. At this point all the aches and pains from the surgery have faded away, but this burning sensation has remained at 100% and it’s crippling.
To keep things short:
– burning sensation kicks in usually after 1 to 2 minutes of standing/walking
– lying down brings immediate relief, it’s essentially a ‘reset’ button
– erections trigger the same pain in the same location (crease where the left thigh meets groin)
– sitting often causes the same pain in the same location, but at less intensityThe surgeon said it’s likely an irritated nerve, recommended some NSAIDs and said it should calm down in a few days. He feels it’s unlikely that the nerve is caught in a suture or else I’d be in 24/7 pain. I’m trying to share his optimism but whenever I do a google search to find relatable stories, all that comes up are tales of chronic pain and neurectomies.
Can someone please educate me a bit on ‘irritated nerves’ and how these things typically play out? There’s a lot of info out there covering the extreme end of the spectrum (i.e. entrapped nerves) but I can’t find anything at all regarding short term issues like the one my surgeon feels I have.
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3 Replies
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1 week post op… horrible nerve pain
Thanks for the responses. Happy to say the burning sensation is pretty much gone now and I’m able to move around pain-free. And Dr. Towfigh, that actually make a lot of sense, and interestingly enough, the pain started to decline the day I did some slight stretching of the area.
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1 week post op… horrible nerve pain
In similar situations, I recommend activity and stretching of the area, I.e., slow hip extension. It’s possible the repair feels a little tight for you and every time you put it on pressure (sit, stand, orgasm), then it’s pulling along the groin crease where it’s sewn.
I agree with the comment by your surgeon.
The body usually adapts to the problem. Consider experimenting with a TENS unit.
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1 week post op… horrible nerve pain
Sean,
Sorry for your post-operative pain. Often the nerve is stretched when dissected and becomes inflamed. The vast majority of these resolve within 2-4 weeks in my experience. Often we will wait as hernia surgeons for a prolonged period of time 6mo to a year if the pain persists unless there is a high suspicion for nerve entrapment. Your positional pain suggest that the nerve may be being irritated by the external inguinal ring when you stand or walk. This often resolves with time and decreased inflammation. None of this is certain however without being there during the surgery. Hope that helps a bit. Although a bit ambiguous, so is the management of the problem as its difficult to decide who will resolve and who will not. I usually use the tincture of time and determine if you are making progress. Not entirely sure why you experience the pain with erection. Was it immediately after erection or during intercourse?
Thanks
Paul
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