I broke my hip March 2016 in Paris and had a anterior total hip replacement.. I have just seen a Consultant here and the new hip is fine but... the site of the op is still numb, feeling is definitely coming back and l have a really tight sensation in the area after a bit of exercise or just going up and down stairs. The doctor says he hasn't come across it before but that could be because he is unused to the anterior approach. It feels as though the muscle is too short. Anyone else any experience of this??
That could actually be nerve damage. Numbness is common with nerve damage, as is that feeling of tightness. Has anyone checked it for this?
Hi Beth
No they haven't and l think you may well be right. I wonder what could be done anyway!!
You can have nerve conduction tested. They send an electric current through your nerves and measure the amount of time it takes to travel, and that can tell them what and where. It's slightly uncomfortable, but not more than that. In many cases, armed with that, they can identify exercise and/ or manipulation techniques to free the nerve. It's often a trap rather than "broken". The biggest problem with nerve damage is working out where it is, because the site of the symptom often isn't the site of the problem. I have nerve problems in my spine due to arthritis - the numbness, pain and tingles are in my right foot! At worst the back feels slightly stiff at times! Go figure!
If conservative treatment doesn't help nerves, there are drugs that may help, and in a final analysis, surgery, although I've said point blank I'm not having the latest as the risk level is too high for the potential benefit. The drugs are usually a low level anti depressant ( much to y low to worry about the side effects of such drugs), which fool the brain into reacting differently. For now, a combination of both exercise and the drugs at a low level seems to work most of the time.
Hi Lin. I have been having a lot of sensitivity & numbness mostly on the side of thigh just above knee to beginning of buttock muscle. It's has gotten so bad that even the softest of a blanket was bothering me. Dr had prescribed lyrica but insurance doesn't pay so was on gabapentin 300 mg 3x day. It seemed to help but was still bothering me so dr prescribed voltaren gel, that seemed to help but still wasn't enough. I called dr cause I just couldn't take it anymore. So he sent me to a pain dr who after I described my symptoms said it sounded like a trapped nerve in thigh from scar tissue pressing on nerve causing it to be inflamed. He gave me a sample of lyrica, 21 pills at 50 mg per tablet. I could tell the difference in taking lyrica versus gabapentin like night and day!! It's still sensitive and numb but not as bad. A lot more tolerable. Friday I go in for an injection to help calm the nerve. Here's hoping 🤞. As this is a very ugly feeling to deal with!! I told dr I can deal with everything else but this was just too much. I'm a little over 8 months in from a revision. I dislocated my first rhr in July, 3 weeks later I'm having a revision. Best of luck to you. LD
Thank you for your reply. Good luck to you
Lin
hi lin,
I am not sure what you mean ... Is there no feeling at op site or just numb to your touch ?
I thought that with anterior approach muscles are not cut. but spread apart ..
what an interesting answer from your doctor ... was there an x-ray taken ?
Are there any stretching exercises you do?
please let us know how you are getting on, okay ... love to hear back from you ..
big warm hug
renee