How much pain will I have after surgery?
There’s no perfect stock answer for this question. The short answer is that EVERY person has a different level of pain and it’s really tough to predict who will have a lot of pain and who will have little pain. Here are a few things we can say with some certainty:
If you are having surgery on your shoulder or elbow you will have some pain after surgery. We now use many methods for treating pain including pills, regional blocks (injection of long acting numbing medications around the nerves of the arm), and ice packs. No treatment is without side effects. Narcotic medications can make you nauseated and constipated. Anti-inflammatories can hurt your stomach. Even ice can “burn” your skin if you keep it on too long. But by using them in combination we can use smaller doses of each and lessen the downside risks while giving you good pain relief.
Every person has a different pain tolerance. Just as you might like apples and I like pears, every human being is unique in our reaction to pain- we are individuals. It’s what makes us special and life worth living. I’ve had patients who are on no pain medication 2 weeks after a shoulder surgery and some who take over a month to wean off of them. There’s no one answer for this. If you are taking narcotic medication prior to surgery (vicodin, percocet, oxycodone) you likely will have a harder time controlling your pain after surgery than if you were taking none. This is simply because the body develops a tolerance to these medicines and needs more to do the same job. So whenever possible it’s best to be off of these medications before surgery.
When can I drive?
This depends on a number of factors including the type of shoulder surgery that you have. We will discuss with you when it is safe to drive on a case-by-case basis.
NEVER drive if you are using narcotic pain medicine as they can slow your reaction tie and impair judgement.
Will I do physical therapy after surgery?
Each condition around the shoulder is different and requires different levels of therapy and activity. You should follow your instructions strictly as some surgeries require more therapy than others. Sometimes you will need supervised therapy with a licensed physical therapist. Other times you can do prescribed exercises at home.
Most therapy programs require that you do at least some exercise on your own at home for you to achieve maximum benefit.
There are 2 important facets to every shoulder treatment program:
- The timing of the allowed activity and
- The level of permitted activity.
I will help guide you regarding each for your unique condition
Will I get pain medication after the surgery?
Yes. we typically prescribe some form of pain medication in the immediate post operative time period. This along with other methods of pain control should help to make you more comfortable after the surgery. Understand however, that medications do not completely eliminate all pain, that they do have side effects and can lead to dependency. They should be taken with caution and only as prescribed. Side effects can vary for each person but some of the more common ones are nausea and constipation.
Our goal is for you to be comfortable enough to perform your daily living activities and your prescribed therapy.
More Shoulder Surgery Related FAQs
Shoulder Replacement FAQs
Reverse Total Shoulder Replacement FAQs
Partial Shoulder Replacement for Fracture FAQ’s
Rotator Cuff Repair FAQ’s