aching across where the incision is
Is it normal, post operation, to have pain across the muscles where the incision took place on both hands? I have noticed that the aching pain gets worse throughout the day. The ache feels like 'gum ache' where it just throbs continuously.
I had my right hand operated on 25th June 2013 and the left hand operated on 23rd July 2013.
Thank you for responding so quickly. Your description of pillar pain matches both of my hands. Do you know what treatment is available for this form of pain?
Many thanks
There is not much in the way of evidence based recommendations for treating it. The best that can be said is that in most patients it does slowly fade away with time, though unfortunately not in every patient. It is probably a good idea to avoid leaning on the heel of the hand as much as possible while the wrist joints adapt to not having the ligament for support. The hand therapists try manipulative, splinting and massage treatments but the evidence that they help is not very convincing. There is one study of extracorporeal shock wave therapy in 40 patients with persistent troublesome pillar pain which reported benefit but this was uncontrolled and unblinded so should be taken with a pinch of salt. Attempts to reconstruct the ligament have generally not helped. JB
The commonest pain after surgery is a kind of deep-seated ache in the wrist itself and extending from the base of the thumb across to the other (ulnar) side of the wrist. This is aggravated by leaning on the heel of the hand and is often referred to as 'pillar pain' - though I am not sure where the term pillar originates. It is probably a side effect of cutting the transverse carpal ligament, thus depriving the small bones of the wrist joint of one of their main supports. Local tenderness over the cut ends of the ligament on each side is also quite common. I can't tell exactly what you are describing in that message I'm afraid. JB