[eleanorigby]

After my injury I had a spinal fusion and the doctor used bone from my hip for the grafting process (to help promote the fusion I guess from what I've been told). This was nearly 11 years ago and I still have horrible pain from the scar on my hip. It is extremely sensitive to the touch and often to burns and hurts on it's own to the point of distraction. Has anyone experienced this or has any suggestions to help it? Sometimes it's so bad I have to lay on my opposite hip with nothing toughing that area because it's so sensitive. I take 20mg a day of nortriptyline now for nerve pain, would this help at all with my hip since it has more to do with my scar than nerve pain? Thanks!

[Avocado Baby]

Hi there,

I'm sorry to hear about your pain. I had exactly the same problem years after a spinal fusion. I couldn't find anything that stopped the pain until I got put on Lyrica (Pregabalin) and it really helps me alot! Ask your doctor about it.

Also, I have a regular scar tissue release massage, which helps to break up the fascia that causes the pain in scar tissue. That has helped me too.

Good luck! I hope you get some relief soon!

[Hapahowlee]

My husband is 23 years post injury. He and I have been together a total of 17 years. I just asked him if he gets pain in his hips and he told me yes. He has very, severe lower back pain and I've never heard him complain about his hips. He actually had two bone fusion operations. The first, the Dr. took bone from the left hip (nice clean cuts and barely see the scars) and went in the front to fuse C5, 6 & 7. C5 was actually completely shattered. A couple of weeks after this operation, two nurses hiking him up in bed, hiked too hard and slammed his head into the wall. He had his halo on, but he could feel the nurse removing plaster from his hair. Immediately they did an MRI and decided to do another bone fusion. Even though my husband was asking for a telephone to call his family, they wouldn't get one to him until they decided to operate again. Family came up (I wasn't in the scene then), but funny the hole in the wall was already patched and the paint was dry. This time the operation was all done from the back. My husband has a horrible Frankenstein "ish" scar on his back by his hip and he also has a long jaggedy scar down the center of his neck. They really did a job on him.

As far as what he told me about the pain. . . he said when he stretches out regularly this helps to keep the scar from hurting. He told me it probably feels like when my stretch marks get pulled, which does hurt. My husband stands up in his "standing table" whenever he can, I help him use a stationary bike and he can actually move his right leg enough to get the pedals to go and I just spot him. Also while he is laying down on his side, I take one hand and place it on his ribs and the other hand on his upper thigh and I basically push one hand and pull the other and alternate. This help stretch is hip muscles as well as back. I also help rotate his hip joints for him. I don't know if you have someone who can help you or not, but you might be able to do some things yourself. Your Dr. could best advise. Do you have a physiatrists or a general physician?

[jass1]

i had the same the doctors went through my ribs 3 years post surgery and i have pain in my ribs

[Trinity]

Hi
I'm with Pink Ali on this one, sounds a lot like nerve pain. Discuss the possibility of pregabalin with your doctor I'd definatley recommend it! The other option is gabapentin, which ever one you go for you start on a low dose and build it up til you get the desired effect.
Good luck
Trinity X

[cate]

Hi. The scar tissue can be very painful Althought my daughter has the same op, the scar on hip needs strecthing and massaging, but is copeable. She has had 3 ops on her knee and the scar tissue there causes problems, when very bad her pt, ultra scans it for relief and she finds this helps a lot.
Cate

[Avocado Baby]

I'm a bit pissed off that everyone seems to know that it's scar tissue that's causing their pain when I had a spinal fusion in a hope to stop mine and it wasn't discovered what the actual cause was til months after my surgery!

To be fair, the fusion did fix a pseudoarthrosis...but still!!

This post has been edited by Pink Ali: 01 June 2008 - 08:55 PM

[catmint]

Hi all

This is a really interesting topic..

My husband was admitted to hospital with a medical emergency last summer. He had surgery and has a scar from chest to just below belly button. In the autumn he began to suffer real bad pain, left side of the scar. He was in agony for 3 weeks and our GP got him refered to the spinal unit for tests. He had every test known to man and then some but it seems it is the scar tissue and he will just have to live with it. He feels better knowing it isn't something nasty but the pain does get him down although he tries not to show it.

I was talking to a physio who mainly deals with sports injuries and she has been on a course dealing with scar tissue and she feels that it is important that people have some kind of physio/massage starting from when stitches are removed because in her opinion it can really help.But unless you have the money to pay for it I don't think it is an option for most people.

Sorry I don't have a solution

L

[Avocado Baby]

Hi Catmint,

Your husband's scar sounds just like mine from my anterior spinal fusion.

It makes so mad that you have to have money to be able to do things like massage to help with the pain! Pain hurts just the same whether you have money or not and you shouldn't have to duffer if you have lelss!!

I manage to get some funding for mine, otherwise I wouldn't be able to afford it either! Whereabouts in the world are you? Has your husband's GP given him any meds to help with the pain?

I really feel for him cos I know how horrible it can feel.
Hope things improve for him.

[eleanorigby]

Thanks for the great replies everyone, I appreciate it. Like catmint, I'm afraid I probably can't afford any type of massage. I had to quit physical therapy when I entered college for that very reason. I'm still a poor (although working) student Actually, the idea of getting my scar tissue massaged sounds horribly painful to me as the lightest touches to that area cause immense pain. I'm thinking about talking to my doctor about that drug that was mentioned (can't recall the name right now), but I try really hard to keep my meds to a bare minimum. Maybe I'll just have to swallow my pride and swallow one more pill.

[dom]

i had the same pain from a hip bone graft but thankfully its gone now but i do still feel pain from my left elbow where i had an op to relieve the ulnar nerve it is very weak and i don't now whether it was a good idea to have it done

[catmint]

Hi all

No Ali hes not takng anything for it at the moment but I think if it continues then I think he may have to reconsider. Hes a bit worried that painkillers can bung you up.

eleanor. I agree that massage wouldn't be an option for him as it is too painful..I do wonder if perhaps it was started by someone who knew what they were doing early enough perhaps it could have helped. One theory of mine was that he feels it so bad cos he is real sensetive to touch round the belly area..before the op' just a feather touch had the same effect as the earlobes!!..

Hope it helps knowing your not alone

Take care

L