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Pain Management After Shoulder Surgery

As with almost any type of surgical procedure, shoulder surgery is bound to cause you some level of pain, especially right after the operation. Even minimally invasive surgeries can bring about a certain amount of discomfort anywhere from a few days to a few weeks as your shoulder heals. But rarely are you sent home to simply deal with this pain or discomfort. Most (if not all) medical professionals prescribe some regimen of pain management to make you more comfortable and allow you to rest as you recuperate.

  1. Pain Pump

    • One of the more common pain management systems you're often equipped with after a shoulder surgery is a pain pump. Once your doctor has completed the surgical procedure, a temporary catheter is inserted directly into your shoulder joint. This thin, pliable tube is then connected to a small pump mechanism containing an anesthetic that intermittently delivers pain medication into the surgical site. Basically, the anesthetic blocks those impulses that tell your brain that you're in pain, allowing for better comfort. Most of the time, you're hooked up to the pain pump for only the first few days after your surgery. The catheter can then be removed by you (or another person if you so desire), and you'll move on to the next step of pain management.

    Oral Medication

    • Though you'll usually leave the hospital connected to the pain pump, most doctors will prescribe some sort of prescription pain medication you can use after the pump has run its course. Hydrocodone is probably one of the most common oral medications used for pain management, but you may instead be prescribed codeine, fentanyl or oxycodone. However, don't be surprised to find that the prescription is fairly short in its time frame, maybe one to two weeks' worth of medication at the most. This is partly due to the addictive nature of these drugs, but also to the fact that people seldom need to take painkillers for an extended period with a shoulder surgery.

    Follow-Up Care

    • The final part of pain management after your shoulder surgery doesn't involve any sort of medication. It actually entails the protection of your shoulder. Before discharge, you'll be fitted with a sling so that you minimize the stress and use of your shoulder, not only allowing it to heal properly but reducing the potential of pain from movement.

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