Treatment FAQ

alternative treatment for foot pain when youve had surgery

by Dr. Lenny Bosco DVM Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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  • Rest: Patients should get as much sleep as possible. Rest gives the body time to heal, and it can also decrease pain levels.
  • Ice: Applying ice to the surgery site can help reduce swelling and numb the area for temporary pain relief.
  • Compression: Wearing compression garments may increase blood flow and prevent fluid buildup. This step should help reduce swelling and inflammation.
  • Elevation: Raising your foot to heart-level can help speed up the healing process. Elevation improves circulation and also reduces swelling.

Is there anything I can do about my feet after surgery?

Indeed, even after having surgery there is still a lot you can do to build and preserve natural foot health and regain foot strength and function. We offer several post-surgical foot care strategies below that we’ve seen work for people in the past.

What is the best way to manage pain after a surgery?

A combined approach to pain management is often the best option because it allows the surgeon to tailor pain control methods to each individual patient. This article focuses on alternative approaches your doctor may recommend for pain management.

What is the best way to recover from foot pain?

It’s important that you approach the recovery phase with an upbeat attitude. Everyone has a unique pain tolerance level. Each body part has a different number of nerve endings. Keep in mind that your feet have more nerve-endings per square inch than any other body part.

What is the best pain reliever after knee surgery?

In many cases, non-opioid pain relievers, such as ibuprofen (Advil) and acetaminophen (Tylenol), will control postsurgical pain if taken as recommended. “We just completed a study of 163 knee arthroscopy patients who were sent home with non-opioid pain management,” says Dr. Matzkin.

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How do you get rid of foot pain after surgery?

In addition to resting your foot, your doctor is also likely to recommend a routine of ice, compression and elevation after the surgery. Specifically, ice works wonders when it comes to reducing swelling and inflammation, which can in-turn relieve pain and discomfort.

How do you deal with pain without medication after surgery?

Give these tips a try to help you manage any pain you may experience after surgery.Stay Ahead of the Pain.Consider Non-Prescription Pain Medication.Get Enough Sleep.Slowly Increase Physical Activity.Don't Sit Too Long.Consider Doing What You'd Normally Do.Brace Your Surgery Site.Manage Your Stress Levels.More items...•

What helps bone pain after surgery?

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) reduce swelling and soreness and are often used alone for mild to moderate pain. To manage the moderate to severe pain after surgery, NSAIDs are often used in combination with opioids. Some examples of NSAIDs include aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen.

What relieves foot pain?

Rest, ice, and elevate your foot. Wear stiff-soled shoes or foot pads to relieve pressure. Take pain relievers. If you're still in pain, talk to your doctor.

What is a natural painkiller?

Endorphins are the natural pain killers produced by your body. They work by binding to the opioid receptors in your brain to block the perception of pain.

What is a good substitute for NSAIDs?

Acetaminophen, such as Tylenol, is a widely available alternative to NSAIDs that targets pain rather than inflammation.

How long will my foot hurt after surgery?

In general, the pain subsides after a few days to a week after surgery, depending on the type of surgery. Your surgeon will be placing numbing medicine into your foot and/or ankle so you are more comfortable post-operatively.

What is the strongest pain reliever?

What are the strongest pain medications?Opioid analgesics, in general, are the strongest pain-relieving medications. ... Codeine is only about 1/10th as powerful as morphine.Opioids more powerful than morphine include hydromorphone (Dilaudid) and oxymorphone (Opana).More items...

How long do bones hurt after surgery?

Your Recovery You can expect the pain from the bone to get much better almost right after the procedure. But you may have some pain for 2 to 3 weeks and mild pain for up to 6 weeks after surgery. How soon you can return to work and your normal routine depends on your job and how long it takes the bone to heal.

What is the best home remedy for foot pain?

Trying more than one of these recommendations may help ease your foot pain faster than just doing one at a time.Draw a foot bath. ... Do some stretches. ... Practice strengthening exercises. ... Get a foot massage. ... Buy arch supports. ... Switch your shoes. ... Ice your feet. ... Take a pain reliever.More items...•

How can I stop my feet from hurting at night?

Some treatment options include:resting.icing the bottom of the foot.taking anti-inflammatory medications.stretching the calf.receiving steroid injections.wearing comfortable shoes.using night splints to stretch the plantar fascia overnight.trying physical therapy.

Does heat help foot pain?

Apply heat, cold or both to your feet. Usually, cold therapy using ice is recommended for acute injuries like a sprained ankle, or if you're experiencing swelling. Heat therapy, on the other hand, can be better for chronic foot pain, as it can help soothe stiff joints and relax muscles.

How to reduce foot pain?

It’s also possible to reduce your pain through conservative measures. Many foot doctors suggest the RICE plan to their patients. Here’s what this method entails: Rest: Patients should get as much sleep as possible. Rest gives the body time to heal, and it can also decrease pain levels.

How to reduce swelling after a syringe?

Rest gives the body time to heal, and it can also decrease pain levels. Ice: Applying ice to the surgery site can help reduce swelling and numb the area for temporary pain relief. Compression: Wearing compression garments may increase blood flow and prevent fluid buildup.

Does Elevation help with swelling?

Elevation improves circulation and also reduces swelling. Your doctor will provide you with detailed instructions about how to get the most benefits from the RICE method. When used alongside prescription medications, patients often report minimal foot pain after surgery.

Can you take pain pills on schedule?

It’s best to take these pills on schedule to keep your pain at a minimum. If you require something a bit stronger, you can ask your doctor about prescribing a pain pump. This device allows you to administer more medication with the push of a button for faster, more efficient delivery.

Why is a combined approach to pain management the best option?

A combined approach to pain management is often the best option because it allows the surgeon to tailor pain control methods to each individual patient. This article focuses on alternative approaches your doctor may recommend for pain management. To learn more about the medications used to control pain after orthopaedic surgery: Managing Pain With ...

How long after surgery can you use a CPM?

If your doctor recommends CPM, you will also be monitored by a physical therapist. The most important time to use a CPM device seems to be in the first 2 to 7 days after surgery, for about 4 to 6 hours every day.

What is the acupuncture version of Tens?

There is also an acupuncture version of TENS in which the electrical impulses are sent through acupuncture needles instead of electrode pads. This form of TENS is called "electro-acupuncture" or percutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (PENS).

How does Tens help with pain?

There are several ways TENS is thought to relieve pain: Gate Control Theory. In order for you to feel pain, the sensation must travel through a "gate" to get to the brain. Normally, the pain is allowed to flow freely through the gate because it (pain) is the only sensation trying to get through.

Can you use a CPM without a physical therapist?

This CPM machine cradles the lower leg and gently moves it. If you can already move — either actively or passively — without CPM, then using the device will not be beneficial. CPM is not a substitute for working with an experienced physical therapist who is trained to provide both active and passive motion exercises.

Why is a combined approach to pain management the best option?

A combined approach to pain management is often the best option because it allows the surgeon to tailor pain control methods to each individual patient. This article focuses on alternative approaches your doctor may recommend for pain management. To learn more about the medications used to control pain after orthopaedic surgery: Managing Pain With ...

How long after surgery can you use a CPM?

If your doctor recommends CPM, you will also be monitored by a physical therapist. The most important time to use a CPM device seems to be in the first 2 to 7 days after surgery, for about 4 to 6 hours every day.

What is the acupuncture version of Tens?

There is also an acupuncture version of TENS in which the electrical impulses are sent through acupuncture needles instead of electrode pads. This form of TENS is called "electro-acupuncture" or percutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (PENS).

How does Tens help with pain?

There are several ways TENS is thought to relieve pain: Gate Control Theory. In order for you to feel pain, the sensation must travel through a "gate" to get to the brain. Normally, the pain is allowed to flow freely through the gate because it (pain) is the only sensation trying to get through.

Can you use a CPM without a physical therapist?

This CPM machine cradles the lower leg and gently moves it. If you can already move — either actively or passively — without CPM, then using the device will not be beneficial. CPM is not a substitute for working with an experienced physical therapist who is trained to provide both active and passive motion exercises.

Pain from Foot & Ankle Surgery

Surgery for the foot and ankle is similar to an injury – it causes damage to tissue but it is done to correct an abnormality in order to reduce problems in the future. Pain related to surgery is from the incisions and tissue manipulation, which stimulates the sensory nerves and inflammation.

Hypersensitivity and CRPS

Damage to the foot and ankle in about 5% of cases can cause severe, abnormal pain with hypersensitivity. When this occurs, special pain management is necessary. Sympathetic hypersensitivity, know as Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS – “crips”) causes severe extremity pain and despite normal treatment, it still hurts.

What is the best treatment for foot pain?

Prolotherapy: Alternative treatment for foot pain. For people like those that contact us with these complicated cases and where conservative care treatment has not helped them and now a decision on surgery needs to be made, we offer one possible solution. Prolotherapy injections. Prolotherapy injections.

How much pain relief does prolotherapy provide?

Eighty-four percent experienced 50% or more pain relief. Prolotherapy helped the patients make large improvements in walking and exercise ability, as well as produced decreased levels of anxiety and depression. One-hundred percent of patients said Prolotherapy changed their lives for the better. ( 3)

What is a bunions toe?

Bunions also referred to as hallux valgus or hallux abducto valgus, and hammertoes (hallux malleus), are two common diagnoses for toe pain whose etiologies can be related to the structures of the forefoot. A multitude of diagnoses can be arrived at for foot/toe pain, though many times the underlying problem, weakness, or injury in the ligaments, tendons or cartilage, is the culprit. For a more detailed discussion on Bunion pain and Prolotherapy.

How often should I do toe crunch exercises?

Most treatments are provided every 4 to 6 weeks to allow time for the growth of new connective tissues. We recommend toe crunch exercises in most patients. This is discussed at the time of the treatment. If there is a valgus deformity, we may suggest “Yoga Toes,” or other toe separation or toe stretching apparatus.

What is the treatment for sesamoiditis?

Standard treatment for sesamoiditis includes rest, ice, and special shoe pads. Unresolved sesamoiditis pain involves removing the sesamoid bones. See our article on Sesamoiditis Pain Treatment.

What causes pain in the big toe?

Runners and dancers are most likely to suffer from se samoiditis, but really anyone can experience this type of pain in the big toe. It occurs in the ball of the foot as the sesamoid bones become irritated. Like the kneecap, the sesamoid bones act as a pulley. Unlike the kneecap, the sesamoid bones are tiny bones that run along the tendon to the big toe. As they become irritated, they can cause inflammation in the tendon in which they reside. Standard treatment for sesamoiditis includes rest, ice, and special shoe pads. Unresolved sesamoiditis pain involves removing the sesamo id bones. See our article on Sesamoiditis Pain Treatment

Why does my heel hurt when I walk?

The pain is caused when the damaged tissue is stretched, so when the person begins to bear weight on the foot, the pain level is very high but lessens as he/she continues to walk/run, presumably as the plantar fascia becomes more flexible. The pain typically originates very gradually; starting only with pain at the beginning of exercise. However, without appropriate treatment; even walking becomes too painful.

Does gabapentin help with foot pain?

Gabapentin— which addresses nerve pain—was helpful, but did not get rid of my foot ache entirely. My podiatrist, who I like because he has a good sense of humor, said, “Yeah, after all that surgery, doc, my foot still hurts, and it’s worse than before!”. He was exaggerating, of course.

Can cupping be used on feet?

However, it’s rarely used on the feet because there’s very little skin there to grab. After a few sessions, the home exercises didn’t seem to be helping, and the cupping seemed to only make the pain in my foot worse. So I decided to seek a solution elsewhere. The author’s acupuncturist, Carol Lourie, ND, LAc.

Is there a better option than foot or ankle surgery?

Regenexx provides breakthrough, non-surgical treatments that use your body’s own healing agents to treat and repair injuries including foot and ankle osteoarthritis, tendon and ligament tears, and other degenerative problems related to the foot or ankle.

Your Alternative to Foot & Ankle Surgery

Have you been told that steroid injections or invasive surgery are your only options to treat your foot or ankle pain? Interventional orthopedics provides a non-surgical alternative that uses your own cells to repair the damage.

Regenexx Results

Since 2005 we have conducted research, accumulated patient results data, and obtained direct feedback from our patients. With one purpose in mind. To help you make an informed, confident decision to treat your condition.

What to do for knee replacement pain?

Pam Whitehead. February 26, 2019. One total knee replacement things to help with pain these all go hand in hand! powerful drugs for a week, ice pack often and physio at a rehab hospital and walking in water. Then time will do the rest.

Why is pain medication not needed after surgery?

Turns out not only is prescription pain medication not always needed, but often not advisable after surgery, because it can raise the risk of opioid addiction. As a result, surgeons today are rethinking post-surgical pain management strategies. And if you’re going under the knife, you should too.

How to reduce opioids?

One way to reduce the amount of opioid medication you are taking is to alternate it with non-opioid treatments, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen, if your doctor approves. Adjust your expectations. “Orthopedic surgeons are also setting expectations for patients preoperatively.

How long after surgery can you ice?

Icing the area can also help in the first 24 to 48 hours after surgery. But be certain to follow your doctor’s instructions carefully when using ice. It can cause tissue damage if used for too long — particularly in people who have reduced sensation in the area while the anesthetic used during surgery is wearing off.

Can you heal from opioid pain?

Expecting people to be in pain is not the answer to the opioid crisis. Bodies cannot heal properly with the additional stress of being in pain. Let’s figure out to treat the pain responsibly and work towards insurance companies cover alternative strategies, such as massage and acupuncture, when appropriate.

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