Any kind of pain after surgery can be discouraging to even the most positive individual. Knowing you’re in the right hands can be a huge relief.
The nerve specialists at Next Step Foot and Ankle Clinic continue to take additional steps to continue their education in order to provide the best, up-to-date care available. Both of our doctors, Dr. Silvester & Dr. Larsen are members of The Association of Extremity Nerve Surgeons(AENS), where fellow members around the world have completed focused training and procedures in lower extremity peripheral nerve.
Do you have pain after foot and ankle or knee surgery?
One major cause of complications after surgery in the lower extremity is nerve entrapment (nerve compression) in or near the scar. This can be the cause of much frustration for the doctor and especially the patient.
Some of the common examples we see every week are:
- Pain in the ball of the foot after neuroma surgery
- Pain radiating down the leg to the foot after knee surgery
- Persistent heel pain even after plantar fascia surgery
- Lateral ankle surgery can be a problem as well
Nerves are very sensitive and even a perfect surgery can result in nerve irritation that feels simply miserable.
Patient FAQ’s
What does nerve pain feel like?
The pain starts fairly quickly after surgery and feels differently than the pain before the surgery. Most often it is a burning or tingling pain. Usually the nerve lesion area is very sensitive to the touch and causes pain to radiate either up or down the leg or foot. Occasionally, some experience a loss of sensation or notice the skin looks different. A good clinical exam will identify the level of the problem.
What can be done for nerve pain after surgery?
That depends on the nature of the injury and the length of time since the injury(surgery).
Sometimes (especially after knee surgery) the fix is simple. We simply take pressure off the nerve and find that it usually heals quickly without much interruption in your day-to-day life.
In the case of neuromas that have been taken out and come back or still hurt this can be treated with a “mini-neurectomy”. This procedure is truly rewarding to perform because the incision is so small, the patient is able to walk out of the surgical center and take the dressing off in one day and return to normal shoes with a band-aid.
In the cases of nerve damage sometimes the nerve needs to be wrapped with something to keep it protected from scar tissue. There have been remarkable improvements in nerve repair and now with microsurgical techniques, instruments and innovative products the success of these surgeries is becoming much more favorable.
So, if you have chronic pain after a surgery or injury that is affecting your feet please give us a chance to help and call to set up a visit with one of our two specialists today.
Take the next step toward happy feet and schedule today!
Looking for a Nerve Pain Expert but don’t live in San Antonio?
Dr. Silvester received his nerve training from the Association of Extremity Nerve Surgeons. To find a nerve pain expert in your local area, with at least 2 years of experience and has completed specialty training from the Association of Extremity Nerve Surgeons.