Persistent post-surgical pain can affect as many as one in two having major surgery such as an amputation and one in four for all kinds of surgery combined. Most persistent post-surgical pain is the result of nerve damage and can be due to the original medical problem or the surgery itself. It is identified by symptoms of neuropathic (nerve) pain such as burning pain, shooting pain, numbness and changes to physical sensation or sensitivity to temperature or touch. Other risk factors for onset of post-surgical pain are pre-existing pain, dependence on opioid medication, anxiety, infection and bleeding, and chemotherapy.

Management

There is a strong link between the severity of pain in the 10 days or so after surgery and the development of long-term pain. This means adequate pain relief immediately after surgery is critical to prevent ongoing pain, especially if you have one or more risk factors. This is something you should discuss with your doctor and anaesthetist prior to surgery. Should you experience ongoing pain after surgery, you might find interventions such as nerve blocks to stop nerves from working in the affected area and medications helpful for pain relief. Multidisciplinary pain management combined with self-management will also be important.

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