Hip Arthroscopy Flare up

Natka

junior member
Joined
May 20, 2020
Messages
27
Age
49
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United Kingdom United Kingdom
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Female
Good afternoon everyone, it is great to see such big community that understand what you are going through! Just discovered it today and joined straight away. Just wondering if anyone experienced a flare up. I had my hip arthroscopy that addressed impingement and labrum detachment. I am week 6 post surgery, was doing really well for 5 weeks with daily improvement and a few days ago the pain started coming back! I am now 5 days with significant pain, back on pain killers and anti inflammatories! I am do devastated, beyond any words! Though the surgeon told me such blips are common. I didn't expect that much pain again. Has anyone experienced the same and how you approached it? Thank you in advance for any advice!
 
Hello @Natka - and :welome:

I am going to move your thread to the Hip Surgery Recovery Area, since you have already had your surgery.

Please will you tell us the full date of your hip arthroscopy and which hip it is, so we can make a signature for you? Knowing the exact date will help us to advise you appropriately in the future.
Thank you.:flwrysmile:

I wonder if you have increased your activity recently? Sometimes doing thta leads to an increase in pain. Try resting, icing and elevating more for several days, and see if that decreases the pain.

Here is some post-op reading, to help with your recovery:

Hip Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary
2. Control discomfort:
rest
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)​

3. Do what you want to do BUT
a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you​
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.​

4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these

5. At week 4 and after you should follow this

6. Access these pages on the website


Pain management and the pain chart
Healing: how long does it take?
Chart representation of THR recovery

Dislocation risk and 90 degree rule
Energy drain for THRs
Pain and swelling control: elevation is the key
Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

BIG TIP: Hips actually don't need any exercise to get better. They do a pretty good job of it all on their own if given half a chance. Trouble is, people don't give them a chance and end up with all sorts of aches and pains and sore spots. All they need is the best therapy which is walking and even then not to excess.

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery.

While members may create as many threads as they like in the majority of BoneSmart’s forums, we ask that each member have only One Recovery Thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review the member’s history before providing advice, so please post any updates or questions you have right here in this thread.
 
Hello! I know it’s easy to pass it over, but icing and elevating as much as possible is really a simple but effective strategy. If you have increased activity like Celle suggested,then ease back. We all seem to agree icing 45-60 mins at a time (even more, just keep something cloth like between the skin and the ice) really is where it starts to help. And as often as you can. It really doesn’t seem to matter so much what procedure you have done as it does how you take care of those traumatized tissues in recovery. Most of us have overdone it now and again, believe me. Easy does it and listen to your body. It will let you know when it’s ready...or not. Lol. Don’t get discouraged. Things will improve. Keep us posted.
 
Thank you so much for the prompt response! My surgery was done on 9 April 2020. I was feeling better over the first 4 weeks. And was doing physio as advised, not more. Started going for 30 min walks. But last week the pain came back and now has increased in intensity. I have to take tramadol and paracetamol alongside with anti inflammatories. It is truly devastating. I didn't expect that much pain. Quite scared. I don't have fever though, so infection was ruled out. Any advice is greatly appreciated. I will read the links. Thank you
 
I think you could have overdone the exercise.

I suggest you stop the exercises and only take short walks. Spend as much time as you can resting,icing and elevating, to try and help your hip to calm down again. That won't happen overnight. It could take several weeks.

Which hip is it, by the way?
 
It is the right hip that was operated, but unfortunately, the left one also started playing up a few days before the operation. So very frustrating! I stopped excersises completely, would not be able to do them at the moment anyway. My pain is almost unbearable (7-10), I take serious pain killers and anti inflammatories. I am going to see my surgeon today and I am praying he will explain it all and it will eventually settle I must admit I didn't expect it to be so challenging! I thought the operation and 2weeks after is the most difficult part!
 
I thought the operation and 2weeks after is the most difficult part!
Unfortunately we see this time and time again. This procedure is all too often down played as "easy". In reality recovery from arthroscopy can be longer and more challenging than THR recovery.

As Celle suggest, please ease off all that PT and exercise. Let that hip settle. Ice and elevate for 45-60 minutes several times per day. Icing will help ease the swelling that is causing your pain.

Please keep us updated.
 
Thank you so much for your support and advice! I truly appreciate it! So glad I have found this forum! As I started thinking my entire life is over. Till now (45), I was always blessed with good health and very good life. Apart from Cesar section (which was easy! And 15 years ago) I never had any surgery! I never thought key hole surgery will be so hard! Luckily my work don't push me to come back. I have been off for 7 weeks! And still not guite ready, while my surgeon initially suggested I would only need to take 2 weeks off! And he sounded so casual about this procedure!
 
while my surgeon initially suggested I would only need to take 2 weeks off!
Oh my word - that is just impossible! I am so glad you can take the time off. For people recovering from THR we recommend 10-12 weeks off and then a Phased Return. Of course every recovery is different. Some people don't need all that time. But most do!
 
Thank you so much for the prompt response! And I am glad to hear that I am not just abnormal neurotic woman!
I read stories on the internet and they sounded so casual about the procedure, so I got the wrong impression! The stories here are much closer to life and reality! I keep reading everything on your site and found it so useful! Why OS and PT guys never even mentioned that!
 
I have just seen my surgeon. He has done x-rays and checks and he believes I have the inflammation issue and suggested that I have an injection, since for a week now, I have been resting, icing and lots of pain killers and anti inflammatories and I still experience a lot of pain. My left hip unfortunately also is pretty bad, he said to do an MRI but more likely than not, I need surgery in this side as well. God almighty! I hope I can handle it all! Have anyone had this issue? And did you try the injection? Does it really help? Any feedback, advice would be greatly appreciated. I am now scared that it might make things worse.
 
I am now scared that it might make things worse.
I doubt very seriously that the injection will make things worse. Indeed, it could relieve the inflammation. Will you have it soon? Over activity can bring on inflammation. And many people have a good result.

What is your surgeon suggesting in terms of treatment for your left hip?
 
I have had both hips replaced, and I have had issues with the left (done 3 years ago) since 2 months out post THR. I had to put that aside to deal with the right side THR and now Im circling back.

The shot gave me about a day of relief. Im not sure why it helps some more than others but its always worth a try as thats a quick and easy solution! Good Luck!
 
What is your surgeon suggesting in terms of treatment for your left hip?
[/QUOTE]
He didn't yet offer a solution, but he believes I have the same issue with the left side, impingement and labrum tears since the pain is very much like the pain I experienced on my right for quite some time before the surgery. Taken the recovery can be that challenging, it is a scaring perspective. He suggested that I have injection both hips for now to relief pain. But from people's responses i gather it works for months for some and only days for others. It is hard just to toss a coin at this point
 
The shot gave me about a day of relief. Im not sure why it helps some more than others but its always worth a try as thats a quick and easy solution! Good Luck!
[/QUOTE]
@okiediver

Thank you for the prompt response. I also read that for some people it works for months and for others doesn't work at all. It is hard to just toss the coin at this stage. Also, I am not a big fan of too much interference with the nature. In fact, never took any serious drugs even pain killers in my life. I prefer tumeric, herbs, any kind of natural remedies. I found some information about palletelle plasma injections. Did anyone have any experience with that? I know the surgeon won't approve that as they are only using proved recognised methods in the UK, but I talked to some russian specialists and they use it widely with good results. Any feedback is Greatly appreciated!
 
Hi @Natka
Glad you found the forum and hope today will be a better day.
I found some information about palletelle plasma injections. Did anyone have any experience with that?
I was wondering if you were referring to PRP injections, platelet rich plasma.
I believe a member @linette333 used this therapy for bursitis and was very happy with the results.
 
Hi @Mojo333
Thank you for your response!
I have seen the post from linette333, found some information as well, seems to be quite effective, but since very often you need a few injections, it is very expensive, at least here in the UK.
 
Hi @Mojo333
Thank you for your response!
I have seen the post from linette333, found some information as well, seems to be quite effective, but since very often you need a few injections, it is very expensive, at least here in the UK.
Hi @Natka ! Sorry to read about your pain flare-up. I just wanted to let you know that I am also in the UK and I had the injection on the NHS. I am aware that It is very expensive otherwise. It was my surgeon's suggestion.
Good luck!
 
Hi @Mojo333 .

Thank you for your support and kind wishes. Plasma injections are not done on NHS, you probably mean steroid injections?
 

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